Grimm Pandemic
by The Emerald's Edge
Summary: AU style. The Grimm are not creatures of darkness, they are animals mutated into monsters by a virus created during the great war, but it isn't just animals this virus can infect. Even humans and faunus are susceptible to it. The four academies train the next generation of huntsman while researchers around the world strive to find a cure hopefully before the world ends.
1. History

It has been eighty years since the great war, a war that nearly saw the end of the world, but it wasn't just the fighting between kingdoms that nearly destroyed us all oh no. In fact what almost killed us was a virus created by a mad man a virus that created the monsters we now call Grimm. It is these horrible creatures that wiped out so many people, but they didn't just kill them, those bitten by the Grimm would soon after see their bodies change.

The virus affected animals differently than it did people, normal animals would undergo a much more horrendous mutation where as people human or faunus their skin would change, matching the black and white colors of the monsters that attacked them. Those lucky enough were able to retain their minds for a time and the ones that were unlucky mindlessly and savagely attacked the ones they once called friends. Not all was lost however, for it was in this darkest time that the warring kingdoms banded together to fight this new threat.

Though many more were lost before it finally ended, we managed to not only end the war and save the world, but obtain a peace between us and also wipe out the monsters that turned us against each other. Or so we thought.

"And that students is how the monsters we call Grimm came to be."

At the front of a half circle classroom a rather slender man with untamed green hair stood holding a ruler in one hand and a thermos in the other. His white shirt was only half tucked in to his pine colored pants and his yellow tie left slack. Adjusting his opaque glasses he took a sip from his thermos and with inhuman speed zipped to the far right side of the classroom standing in front of one of his students.

"Now Mr. West tell me" he began his words almost as far as his movements, "What do you think was the biggest turning point of the war that ultimately led to victory against the Grimm?"

"The battle of..." the student fell silent, "I think it was the battle of Pitax."

"Incorrect" the teacher answered, "But you are not far off. Though the turning point was during the battle to reclaim Pitax it was actually the reclamation of Fort Lev and the many supplies and weapons that remained buried within it."

"Professor Oobleck" another student said raising her hand.

The teacher appeared in front of her almost immediately, "Doctor" he said as if correcting her.

"I have a question" the student continued, "Did anyone ever discover a way to change those who turned back to normal?"

The teacher's gaze fell to the floor, "Sadly no, but that doesn't mean a cure won't be made in the future, we still have many researchers hard at work to find one. In the meantime" the professor zoomed back to the center of his classroom, "My self and m fellow educators here at Beacon as well as the other three academies will continue to train you to be the best huntsman and huntresses you can be, it is our job to prepare you for the horrors you will face in this line of work. With that in mind it is imperative that all of you continue your studies and leave the actual fighting for fully fledged huntsman like myself and your other teachers. But take heart dear students, one day you will be ready and hopefully succeed in eradicating the Grimm once and for all."

The bell rang signaling the end of class, "That's all our time for today" Oobleck continued taking another sip from his thermos, "Remember your extra readings due at the end of the week, a ten page essay on the Vacuo campaign."

With that Oobleck sped from his class and into the hall vanishing around the corner before his student had even gathered their things. With their last class of the day finished the students poured into the halls meeting up with their friends and going off to study, goof around or just hang out. It was here at Beacon Academy that boys and girls train to become hunters, people who seek out and slay the creatures of Grimm, each student had his or her own reason for wanting to become a hunter, some wanted the fame that came with it, some had hope to make the world a better place and some merely wanted revenge on the monsters that tormented them.

It was five years after the end of the great war that the huntsman academies were built, one in each of the four kingdoms, Beacon in Vale, Atlas in Mantle, Haven in Mistral and Shade in Vacuo. The major cities in each kingdom were lucky enough to be surrounded in defense perimeters that helped alert the population to a Grimm attack and even slow down the monsters should they get too close, but the smaller towns and settlements were often on their own. It was rare to go a month without hearing of a Grimm attack somewhere and it was just as rare to hear of an attack that didn't leave any casualties.

"I just don't understand any of this" a male student with blonde hair said looking over his notes from class, "How can something as trivial as a bite cause someone to change like that?"

"That's the beauty of a viral infection" one of his teammates another boy with a magenta streak in his raven hair told him, "Well...not that this particular kind of virus could be beautiful. Alright let me put it to you like this, when you get bitten the creature's saliva gets into your blood, the saliva carries the virus cells in it."

"I get that part" his teammate growled, "I'm not that much of an idiot, I just don't understand how something like that can cause such a big change in someone. Not only does it affect their mind it also changes their physical appearance. That's what I don't get."

"The virus attacks and mutates other cells" the second boy continued explaining, "Considering it was created by someone it's safe to assume that it was meant to target specific cells to cause the mutation."

"Which is why anyone bitten always becomes sick" the first student noted, "Fever, sweating, extreme fatigue and dehydration."

His friend nodded, "Yes and not long after their skin pigmentation begins to change as well as their eyes."

"But not everyone changes right away right?"

"Supposedly some are lucky enough to retain their humanity and mind for a time. I think there was one case where a person lasted an entire week before changing, though no one is entirely sure as to what allows some people to last longer."

"Which is why we say those lucky enough huh?"

His friend nodded again, "That's what I would think. At first doctors, virologists, scientists, researchers. Everyone thought it was based on how good a person's immune system was and then some started thinking it had something to do with how strong someone's aura was and then they thought it was a combination."

"And now we think it's luck" the first boy sighed, "You're telling me that after the better part of a century we still don't have a solid grasp on how to counteract this thing?"

"That's what Doctor Oobleck told us."

"Ha..." the blonde boy hesitated, "Have you ever known or seen anyone that changed?"

"I've only seen what happens" his dark-haired teammate told him, "I've never seen the change itself happen, only what becomes of someone. It's not something I would wish on anyone."

The blonde boy agreed, "Yeah, something that horrible I wouldn't even want my worst enemy to suffer that."

"Perhaps it would be better to think of something else for now" the dark-haired teen told him, "Focus on one of our other assignments to take our minds off it."

The blonde boy nodded, "Yeah alright" he looked over his shoulder, "Where do you think Pyrrha and Nora disappeared to?"

"They only said they had something to do after Doctor Oobleck's class perhaps Pyrrha is just helping Nora with some extra studying, she's been falling behind recently."

"Hey look!" another student shouted pointing toward the sky where a pair of ships had appeared on the horizon.

"Is that Professor Sin's ship" another student asked.

"Looks like it."

"He and Professor Peach have been gone for three weeks."

"I hope their ok."

"That other one looks like a military craft. Did something happen?"

The landing pad was cleared for the two ships to land with the military craft touching down first. Students gathered around when the ramps were lowered surprised to see a squad of a dozen armed men march of the craft before taking formation on either side of other ship's ramp. Many of the soldiers had claw marks on their armor and one was missing his vest entirely, evidence of a heavy battle.

When the door opened the flanking shoulders reached for their weapons holding them at the ready as a hush fell across the horde of students that had gathered. The first to step off was another man dressed in military attire and on his breast pocket the emblem of Atlas. The middle aged man turn around at the foot of the ramp and order the soldiers around him to switch their weapon safeties off the second person stepped off the ship followed by an Atlas robot pushing a large cage on a dolly, inside the cage a Boarbatusk, one of the creatures of Grimm.

Seeing the monster the students began whispering amongst themselves wondering why it was brought here, one of it's tusks was missing half of it broken off and it was covered in scars and other injuries. The creature was sleeping probably tranquilized, but being this close to it made many of the students nervous. The soldiers all took a step back keeping their weapons trained on the cage in the event the monster woke up and managed to free itself.

"Well done men" the officer said, "We'll be taking it to the doctor's lab, keep your weapons hot and follow me" he turned to the mass of students that had gathered, "Step aside students be sure to keep your distance, the Grimm is sedated, but there's no telling when it will wake."

"They actually captured one" a girl whispered, "I thought they were hard to catch."

"So did I" another girl replied, "Looks like it put up a big fight though."

When the soldiers began escorting the Grimm away from the landing pad the students looked back to the ship in time to see one of their teachers step off. A tall slender man wearing a grey shirt tucked in to his sand colored jeans the end of which were tucked into his boots. A large duffle bag slung over his shoulder his white hair a mess and a demoralized look on his face the man stopped at the bottom of the ramp and waited. The next person off was the ship's pilot pushing and another soldier carrying a stretcher with a large white sheet covering the person laying on it. The whispers amongst the students stopped when they saw the stretcher and seeing the way their teacher regretfully placed his hand on the side of the stretcher confirmed what they thought.

"Professor Sin" the boy with blonde hair stuttered as the teacher walked by him.

"Mr. Arc" the professor said stopping in mid step, "And Mr. Ren, it's good to see you again. Have your studies been going well in my absence?"

"Yes" the raven-haired boy replied, "Your substitute was really helpful."

The blonde boy looked at the covered stretcher as it moved by, "Professor Peach?" he asked quietly.

Their teacher's eyes fell to the ground and slowly he shook his head, "She didn't make it" he confirmed.

Without another word or glance Professor Sin walked away leaving the two students and the many others gathered behind. Three long weeks he had been gone on assignment to experiment on live Grimm in the field in hopes of finding something that could be used to make a cure only to return in failure with another dead colleague. He could feel the eyes of the students around him, their despair, their sorrow all of which only magnified his own as he disheartenedly walked back toward the academy wanting nothing more than to be alone.


	2. Work to be Done

The elevator doors opened and as before he even stepped off Ozpin stood in front of him offering him a cup filled with coffee. Silently taking the cup into his dirt and blood covered hands he nodded a thanks and walked to a lone chair across the glass floor. He sipped from the cup as he waited for Ozpin to take his seat behind the desk recalling the events of the past three weeks in his head, his thoughts interrupted by a hand on his shoulder.

Glynda Goodwitch, even though her expression remained neutral as it almost always was when their eyes met he could see the grief within her and her concern for his well being. He wanted to tell her he was alright, but in truth he wasn't. Physically he was fine and unharmed, but mentally, emotionally he wasn't holding up as well. Peach was more than a colleague, she was a friend and he was unable to save her.

"Whenever you're ready" Ozpin said calmly taking his seat at the desk.

Sin set his cup down, "It was six days ago."

"We had finished our mission, the Grimm in the area surrounding the town were wiped out and we decided to spend an extra day to scout and make sure. While we were setting up camp one appeared and attacked us and by the time we killed it others appeared. We managed to fend them off and I ordered another sweep of the area to be sure we were clear. It was an Ursa Major that did it. According to Griff, Peach had pushed him out of the way and she took the full force of the Ursa's attack, her aura must have depleted from it because she struggled to fight back and wasn't able to defend against its bite. We heard Griff calling for help and rushed in and killed the bastard, but when I saw her arm I..."

Ozpin slid his cup toward him, "Take your time Sin."

"I did what I could for her" he continued, "I treated her fever, gave her painkillers and a few muscle relaxers, tried to keep her comfortable. I ended up exhausting our medical and water supply trying to help her in whatever way I could, she lasted for four days before succumbing."

Ozpin asked, "Did she suffer?"

Sin shook his head, "No I managed her pain and kept her fever in check. Not that it mattered. She pleaded with me, begged me to end it before she changed, but I couldn't do it, couldn't accept it. Even after I used the last of our supplies I kept trying, long after she closed her eyes and her skin changed, I. I just couldn't accept losing her as well."

He felt Glynda squeeze his shoulder, but he couldn't bring himself to look at her or Ozpin, "Another one happened upon us as the ship was landing to extract us. We managed to capture it alive, I had the soldiers escort it to my lab, I would imagine we have less than sixty hours before it dies."

Ozpin and Glynda exchanged looks, "I'd rather you get some rest instead" he told Sin, "You'll have time to work later."

"We're on a clock Ozpin" Sin replied, "For whatever reason those monsters can't live in captivity and die within three days, time resting is time taken away from studying them and maybe finally finding a cure."

Ozpin countered, "And if you don't rest you'll only make things worse. I know you Sin, you'll be up for the next three days taking blood samples, analyzing and running tests, but if you don't rest you'll only slow down your own work or maybe even make a mistake and let's not forget the last time, you worked yourself for days without sleep. Rest, you can continue your work afterwards. And don't forget, you still have students to teach."

"That's why I have a substitute" Sin told him, "I'm only in that class maybe two days out of the week anyway, my work studying those monsters is more important than teaching children how to keep themselves alive. We shouldn't even let them hunt the Grimm in the first place, their just kids."

Ozpin set his own up down, "I feel the same way you do. It is my hope that one day the world will be rid of the Grimm for good and we won't have to train children to fight them. But until that day comes we must continue training them so they can safeguard the world after we've left it."

"All the more reason to find that cure as soon as possible" Sin exhaled, "Something I can't do by wasting time on sleep."

"Sin" Glynda said finally removing her hand from his shoulder, "You need to rest" her tone stern and unforgiving, "He's telling you and so am I."

Sin stood up, "Fine" he said, "Can I go now?"

Ozpin stopped him, "One last thing, Professor Peach's body. Did you bring her home?"

Sin nodded, "Yeah, I brought her back."

Ozpin stood up as well, "Thank you. I'll see to it she receives a proper burial."

With nothing else to say Sin left returning to the elevator and to his lab. Washing his hands first he watched the dirt and dried blood being washed down the sink's drain, his last image of his deceased haunts him. Her grey skin, her once ginger hair had become white and her brown eyes a deep red.

Drying his hands he heard the Boarbatusk in the next room growl aware of his presence. Stepping into the room Sin stood in front of it's cage glaring at it, they all looked the same to him after all these years, Boarbatusk, Ursa, Nevermore they were all the same. The beast snarled as he stood there, bashing its head against the bars in a futile attempt to attack him.

Sin kept his eyes locked with the Grimm's refusing to back away, "You have no idea how much I want to kill you" he said knowing the monster couldn't understand him, "To make you suffer, cause as much pain as possible and keep you alive through all of it before finally pulling the trigger."

He crouched down in front of the cage, "But you're more useful alive. For now at least."

The Boarbatusk rammed against the bars again and Sin stood up turning his back to the creature and returning to his desk. Multiple files and reports of test results covered his desk in stacks according to dates. The center pull out drawer lined with dozens of multicolor pens and the three side drawers filled with labeled files.

A former student at Beacon, Sin decided to become a doctor instead of a huntsman after he graduated. He spent five years studying the Grimm virus with dozens of others and over a hundred more across the world. It was his work that drew the attention of Beacon's headmaster and it was through Ozpin's offer he returned to Beacon as a doctor, teacher and researcher. He had been at Beacon for nearly fifteen years now, teaching classes on field medicine and other emergency first aid practices, but as the years moved on he was in his class less and less, leaving another teacher to sub in for him as he spent time in his lab.

Throwing on a clean lab coat he grabbed his tape recorder from his desk, "May twenty-fourth" he said aloud for the tape recorder to hear him, "Time almost nineteen hundred hours. Specimen Boarbatusk, condition, battered, but stable. Left tusk broken off at the half point, multiple slash marks from weapons on both sides of the body and one more over its left eye at an angle leading to its broken tusk."

He grabbed a syringe from the workbench, "Intramuscular injection of a tranquilizer to specimen prior to capture and another during transport. Dosage was zero point seventy-two milliliters, specimen remained under the effects for five hours each so the dosage was enough to keep it incapacitated. The specimen currently weighs almost eighty-two kilograms and is about a little over one point one meters at shoulder height. Aggression at expected normal levels, taking first blood sample from the right shoulder area."

Unable to move in its cage the Boarbatusk slammed its side against the bars when the syringe pierced it's skin, but the human next to it remained unfazed. Staring at the crimson liquid Sin brought it back to his workbench taking his seat and aiming the blood at a slide set in his microscope. Squeezing the plunger he watched as the crimson liquid turned black a chemical reaction that happened with the infected blood came in contact with oxygen. Setting the syringe aside he placed his eye against the magnifier and watched the cells dance about in the liquid.

"Blood sample suggests this specimen is somewhere between half a year to a year old" he said for the recorder to hear him, "Specimen was captured in quadrant four in the south of Vale, region three approximately sixty-four kilometers from the base of Mountain Glenn where heavy Grimm activity is known to be. So far blood analysis is the same as prior specimens."

"Gene therapy prospects in Mistral have failed and attempts at radiation treatments in Vacuo have yielded no useful data. Atlas facilities as usual are proving to be of as little use as possible believing the best cure is to completely eradicate the Grimm and any infected individuals before another victim can be claimed or at least that's how their government views the issue."

"My own attempts sadly have not yielded any promising results, electrical stimulation sent the virus cells into a frenzy causing them to attack every other nearby cell including each other, but beyond that nothing of note. As with many known viruses when exposed to freezing temperatures the cells slow down in reproduction and when exposed to sub-zero temperatures become inactive altogether. Sadly neither method actually kills the virus cells."

Backing away from the microscope he returned to the tool bench continuing to narrate his preliminary analysis and findings as he moved about his lab. Occasionally the Boarbatusk would be heard ramming against its cage still riled by the sound of Sin walking around and speaking, but for the most part he ignored it. His watch alerted him to the arrival of midnight and once more Sin stood up from his desk a new report written out of the tests he had gone through and his failures documented in detail, twenty-seven pages of results and none of them worth anything.

"Preliminary results" he exhaled, "Reveal nothing new. Next series of testing, I can only hope. Pray for something, anything, too many have been lost to this curse."

Rubbing his eyes he reached for the recorder, "I'm going to take a short break, for now end of log."

Setting the recorder down he rubbed his eyes once more, "Coffee" he said to himself.

His feet dragged across the monolithic floor to the back storage room, inside the eight by eight room were two white storage cabinets one organized, but filled with spare equipment and the other containing a bedroll and pillow. It was not uncommon for Sin to sleep if he slept at all preferring to be as close to his work as possible in the event of anything happening or a new idea. Next to the closets on the side wall was a double door brown cabinet with a coffee maker sitting on top. Crouching in front of the double door cabinet he reached inside for his preferred creamer, but his hand only touched the hard wood of the shelf. Patting his hand around for a moment he withdrew his arm and looked inside, empty, of course it was empty.

"Why is the creamer always gone?" he sighed.

Grabbing a paper cup he set it under the maker, placing the flavor cup in the hatch above and closing it. He felt his eyes grow heavy as the hot water poured through draining the flavor from the ground beans into the cup below, his balance was off as well he could feel himself swaying. He had been up for three days already, not the first time, but the fact that he also hadn't eaten in the same amount of time was taking its toll on him.

"Are you kidding me?" he heard a sharp voice as he returned to his desk.

Closing the door behind him he saw Glynda striding over to him angry and glaring.

"I'm busy" he told her as he walked back to his desk.

"So I see" Glynda said crossing her arms as she stood in front of him, "I seem to recall Ozpin and I telling you to get some rest instead of working."

"Yeah I'm almost positive you did" Sin replied sipping from his cup.

"I'm not in the mood for your jokes Sin" she retorted, "You lied to Ozpin, to me, you said you would get some rest and yet here you are."

"Well if I don't do it no one will" Sin reminded her setting his cup down.

The Grimm in the separated room snarled hearing their voices ramming against its cage once again.

"Shut up!" Sin yelled snatching his stapler and throwing it at the cage.

Seeing the way he stood how off balance he was Glynda relaxed her shoulders reining in frustration, "Sin, I know you. You already haven't slept in days, you can't keep this up."

"I can and I will" Sin said bracing himself against his desk.

"Why won't you listen?" she asked him, "You know Ozpin and I are both worried about you. You weren't always like this, when did you decide to lock yourself down here, when did you let this consume you?"

Sin slammed his hands on his desk, "Since Peach died!" he yelled, "Since Simmons, since Tucker, since Kenneth and his daughter. Every hour I spend on something else is an hour not used for finding a cure, and we've lost too many people for me to stop."

"You don't have to stop" Glynda told him trying to remain calm, "No is asking you to. We only want you to take care of yourself."

"I can't" Sin said, "I have to keep working, what if there's a Grimm attack tomorrow? I could find a cure tonight for all any of us know, but if I sleep instead and then there's an attack somewhere what then? Who else has to be lost? What if it's Port? Or Oobleck? What if it's you?"

"Now" Sin continued not wanting to give her time to counter his argument, "I have work to do" he sat down, "And you're distracting me."

Maybe it was the fatigue, maybe it was the stress, maybe it was the hunger and exhaustion, maybe it was all of them, but he didn't have the strength to continue arguing anymore he was on the verge of collapse and had to keep working to stay awake. He opened his folder again grabbing one of his pens before shooing her away and returning to his work. His strained mind focused once more on his reports he didn't notice Glynda had walked behind him, he didn't even feel the slap against his neck when she struck him, all he felt were his eyes becoming too heavy to keep open until finally he leaned forward against his desk.

Opening the door to the storage closet Glynda retrieved his bedroll and pillow, walking them back out to his desk and setting them up on the floor. Using her semblance she lifted him from his chair and laid him down, setting the blanket over him she glanced at the clipboard and the papers of test results. Though she didn't understand any of what was written down she knew how much work he had put into them, the amount of time and energy he had devoted to this. All for a good cause sure, but if it came at the cost of his health or possibly his life would it really be worth it.

Taking one last look at him she closed the door to the room containing the caged Boarbatusk and locked it before turning lights out before leaving.


	3. Reminisce

The students gathered in the classroom, filing up one of the two rows of stairs into their seats of the half circle desks. Along the walls at the front of the class were various medical supplies and first aid kits and to the far right a locked cabinet containing bottles of anesthetics. Posters of anatomy, muscle maps and organ locations flanked the black board behind the teachers desk with a coat rack to the side.

The professor who served has their substitute stood there waiting for them to take their seats before making her announcement. Slowly she bowed her head to them, informing them that their normal professor would be returning today and that she was being promoted to cover Professor Peach's classes. Silence fell across the room, the students as well as Beacon's staff had all heard of Peach's fate at the hands of the Grimm.

The substitute raised her head, "I know it's sad" she told them brushing her russet hair from her face, "But try to stay positive. It's what she would want."

The doors opened drawing the attention of the room. He stood there in a blue dress shirt with a violet tie hugging his neck, hand slid into one pocket of his white suit pants and his hair perfectly combed back. It had been twenty-two days since they had last seen him, Professor Sin Helms, teacher, doctor, virologist, huntsman.

"Exquisitely dressed as always I see" the substitute teacher said as Sin stood in the doorway, "Well class this is where we part ways. I'll see you tomorrow when I take over Peach's class."

As she steps into the doorway to leave Sin grabs her shoulder, "Thank you Ivy."

The woman simply smiles at him, "They're all yours now. And. Welcome back."

Sin inhales deeply as he crosses the plane into his classroom for the first time in three weeks. Standing in front of his desk he faces his class many of them having discouraged expressions, he couldn't blame them. While Peach didn't hold a central role at Beacon like Goodwitch or Oobleck did, she was loved by most of the student body and her death summoned a dark cloud for many.

"Class" he began, "I hope you've all kept to your studies in my absence" he reaches behind him for the roster notebook on his desk, "It looks like everyone is here today so let's see."

Skimming through the names his eyes stop at one, "Ms. Valkyrie" he says looking up, "Say you're in the field and a teammate, or ally or anyone really has fractured a bone, what's the first step you should take in treating them?"

His eyes along with the eyes of the rest of the class landed on a girl with orange hair.

"Oh, um...I think I should check for any bleeding first off and if there is stop it."

Her professor nodded, "And how does one go about stopping bleeding...Ms...Xiao Long."

A girl in the front row locked eyes with him, "Well obviously you would need to apply pressure to the injury."

Again Sin nodded, "Correct, now what do you use to apply pressure?"

"Whatever's on hand?" the girl answered, "Obviously a cloth of some kind would be best, but whatever is available would work."

"No" her teacher told her, "Well yes, but only if you want to make things worse. You want to use a sterile bandage or a cloth that is clean" he nods his head to the side, "If available. You could use something less sterile, but you risk infection. Something that should only be done if no other option is present."

He scanned the rows, "Now the next step would be to immobilize the injured area and set a splint if possible. What would be after that...Mr. Arc."

A boy with blonde hair looked up, surprised, "Oh um...Uh, apply an ice pack to limit the swelling?"

Sin smiled, "Exactly, you've been studying I see."

"Yeah, well you know" the boy muttered.

"Field medicine is important for any huntsman" Sin told them beginning to pace in front of his desk, "Even basic first aid can save your life, or someone else's. Even if you know how to use your aura and your semblance those won't protect you forever."

He continued explaining to them the importance of field medicine even though he knew that by now they were well aware of it's importance. Try as he might to focus on his students he could only think of his other work in his lab and the efforts to find a cure around the world. When class was about to end he leaned against his desk casting a hesitant silent gaze at the tiled floor.

"No homework for tonight" he told them as the bell rang, "Just do some reviews on what you've learned so far."

"Professor" a girl with black and red hair said walking over to him.

Looking up he answered, "Yes Ms. Rose" smiling softly as his eyes met hers.

The short girl with silver eyes stood in front of him, smiling back, "I know you're still sad about Professor Peach, but I just wanted to say I'm glad you're alright."

"I will be" he told her, "But I appreciate that you're worried about me. Have you been keeping up with your studies?"

The girl nodded, "Well, mostly. Professor Ivy has given us a lot to do so it's been hard to keep up between all of my classes."

"The life of a student" her teacher sighs, "I still remember the days when I studied here."

"What was Beacon like back then?" another female student with long blonde hair asked joining them.

"Mostly the same" he answered, "Honestly the only thing that's changed was the staff and students really. The academy you see now was the same back in my day."

He banishes his nostalgic grin, "But enough about me, how has team RWBY been since I've been away?"

"Pretty good" the blonde student told him, "Well, mostly. We've had a few hiccups, but we're all good now."

Sin nodded once more, "That is to be expected, you've only been a team for a few months, but in time you will become as close as can be" his nostalgic grin returned once more, "My team and I spent most of our first year unable to stand each other. It wasn't until the last month of the year that we finally became friends."

He reached into his pocket, within his wallet a photo of him another male and two females, three of the four the two girls recognized as their teachers. On the back of the photo the words Team FSIA was written along with the names of each of the members.

"Fiona Peach, Sin Helms, Ivy Esperer and Alfred Norne" Sin said reading the signatures on the picture, "We signed our names to each other's copy of the photo our own special way of doing yearbook signatures. Even though we knew we'd never forget each other we did it anyway. Team Fuchsia, heh, I still remember the kind of shenanigans we'd get up to drive old Ozpin mad."

"You were on a team with Professor Peach and Professor Ivy?" the girl with white hair asked finally breaking her silence.

"Yeah" Sin replied almost silently, "Me and Ivy go way back, even before we enrolled at Beacon, since we were kids and as for Fiona, Professor Peach we met her at Beacon. Her and Ivy hated each other at first, so much that for the first couple of months we made an agreement with the team next door to switch roommates for a while. Fiona would sleep in their room and their guy would sleep in ours."

"That bad huh?" the blonde girl asked.

"It was rough that first year" Sin told her, "But I'll tell you girls, it those kinds of relationships the ones that are forged through fire that become the strongest."

He eyed each of them, "Ruby, Weiss, Blake, Yang. If any of you ever get into an argument or a fight with each always remember to stay together through it. Even if it means taking time to separate yourselves to cool off, remember to never forego each other. Do that and stay together and you'll be invincible. Unless you face us of course, then you're screwed."

He chuckled as he slid the photo back into his wallet, "What about the other guy?" the girl with black hair and a bow asked him, "Alfred Norne."

Sin leaned back against his desk, "Alfred gave up being a huntsman. After he and his wife had their daughter he wanted to do something less dangerous that would allow him to support his family. We still see him every so often, he lives here in Vale, maybe one day I'll introduce you to him, but until then."

He stood up, "You four should be heading out, you're too young to spend all your time talking to an old man like me."

"Oh that's right" Ruby panicked, "We're missing lunch! Quickly to the cafeteria!"

The young energetic girl quickly rushed from the classroom leaving her teammates to say goodbye to their professor before leaving in a more normal hurried fashion. Sin turned his smile lingering as he straightened his desk, even though he chose to focus more on his other work he enjoyed teaching and chatting with his students. As much as he enjoyed teaching, he hated what it was for. The thought of teaching his students and training them just to send them out to hunt the monsters that plague their world filled him with a fear he could not describe, but for his students he would always hold that fear in check, for their sake.

"So how did it go?" a voice asked from his doorway.

"Well enough" he answered turning his eyes to the woman who was his substitute while he was gone, "How about yours?"

"About as good as one could expect" she answered keeping her smile, "Fiona was loved, it won't be easy to fill her shoes."

Sin let out a gruff chuckle, "Yeah there is no replacing her. How are you holding up Ivy?"

"Not too good" she admitted her smile fading, "It's just so hard to believe she's gone."

"Did you tell Alfred?"

Ivy shook her head, her russet hair gently waving in front of her face, "No, I was going to call him when classes ended today. To see if he could get time to come visit and say goodbye to her."

"That would be nice" Sin said, "The three of us can have a drink in her name, spend the night remembering the old days."

Ivy smiled again, "We're not that old you know."

Sin set his papers and class roster down, "Well. I certainly feel like it."

Ivy gave him a light push, "That's because you spend all your time in that lab of yours, going days without sleep. You don't have to work all the time, it's ok to take a break every now and then."

Sin's grin vanished, "You've been talking to Glynda I see. She hit me you know."

She reached for his arm, "Sin, please" her arm snaking its way around his, "For me, get some rest."

Eventually, he agreed to his childhood friend's request opting to sleep that night instead of work, though he would spend the following day in his lab desperately using the final hours of the captive Grimm's life cycle to find anything that would help create a cure, only to fail once again. As the creature died and it's body began dissolving into a black liquid that just as quickly evaporated into a black mist he released a final heavy breath before leaving his lab. It was that day where the funeral service for Fiona Peach would be held, with him and his surviving teammates giving the eulogy. The skies were dark that evening as thick clouds blocked the setting sun, he was thankful for the rain as it made his tears unnoticeable.

Several hours after the funeral had concluded he along with Ivy and their old teammate Alfred banded together in a bar, sitting at a round table with four seats, their drinks in front of them and a trio of empty shot glasses turned upside down at the empty seat.

"Honestly" Alfred laughed half hiding his face in his hand, "Sometimes it still amazes me that we managed to become friends. Fi, was crazy in school."

"No kidding" Ivy agreed, "She straight up hated us."

"I wouldn't mind reliving a few of those days though" Alfred said running his hand over his shaven head.

Ivy snorted, "Speak for yourself, remember that day I put my name on her test? Even though we both passed she tried to poison me."

The three shared a loud laugh, "Well" Sin began, "It wouldn't have been that bad, worst case is you just would have been throwing up for the next two or three days."

Alfred shook his head, "Still though, definitely an overreaction."

Sin leaned forward his elbow sliding off the table once forcing Alfred to reach out and catch him before he fell, "And look at it this way" Sin said with a quick hiccup, "If she didn't do that, I wouldn't have discovered my semblance, so it all worked out in the end right?"

Ivy nodded, "Yeah, better you than me."

Alfred chuckled, "Better him than either of us."

"Yeah, yeah" Sin hiccupped, "Laugh it up you two."

Alfred caught him again before he fell forward, "Hey you're the one who brought it up" he looked at his watch, "It's almost time for me to head back home. One more toast to Fi."

Raising his bottle his two friends followed suit snickering as Sin missed his first two attempts to make their drinks connect.

With his final sip Sin slowly leaned over the table and began snoring causing his friends to laugh once more as his empty bottle rolled off the table.

"Help me carry him back?" Ivy asked lifting one of Sin's arms over her shoulder.

Alfred nodded, "You don't have to go back to Beacon. You two can stay at my place tonight. Sarah and Lily would be happy to see you."

"That'd be nice" Ivy replied thanking him as they carried their unconscious friend outside to hail a cab.


	4. A Storm for Your Thoughts

The sky flashed as streaks of blue and white lights cracked the horizon followed by the deafening rumble of thunder. The heavy downpour led the student body to remain inside for the day, many of them opting to study. The sky lit up once more and a girl with long blonde hair starred up at the sky, leaning her back against the pillar of the archway that led inside. Her hands cupped together behind her back she counted the seconds between the lightning flashes and the thunder's rumble.

Her team back at their dorm studying while she stood outside alone watching the storm. There was a time when she was afraid of storms, not because of the noise or the dark clouds that covered the sun and moon, but because of what could be hiding in that darkness, growls masked by the thunder and black bodies perfectly camouflaged with the shadows around them. Even though she no longer feared the storms and had learned to brave whatever they may conceal she still found herself on alert when they came. She was still a little girl not even ten years old when a storm hit while her and her little sister were playing outside, even with the rain the two girls decided to continue playing for a little longer, not seeing or hearing the creature that lurked beyond the trees watching them.

Storms always brought a chain of memories to her, at first it was of that day, then the memory would be replaced by an older memory of the day she placed her at the time baby sister into a wagon and left home to search for her mom. Then there was a day she was training with her sister trying to teach her the importance of basic hand to hand combat. The one thing that these memories always had in common were the Grimm.

For a time the girl was convinced that the Grimm were just drawn to her, but she soon realized that those were all moments of bad luck or being in the wrong place at the wrong time. She didn't fear the creatures of Grimm themselves, no, she was more afraid of what they could do to someone. How if someone were able to survive being attacked all it took was a single bite to become infected and then change into something entirely different. It was the close calls in those memories that caused her fear, how both her and her sister could have at any moment have been killed or worse.

Even though she no longer feared the storms, they still caused her to remain in a constant state of alert. The direction of the wind changed causing the rain to began pelting her and bringing her out of her memories. Stepping back inside she closed the door behind her being greeted by one of her teammates towel in hand.

"Thank you Blake" she said taking the towel, quickly drying her hair.

The dark-haired girl stood there, "You've been gone for a while. Something on your mind?"

She hesitated, "Just. Memories. Storms like this always brought some bad luck for me."

Her friend smiled, "You never struck me as the type to believe in luck Yang."

The yellow beauty shrugged, "I kind of don't, I just don't really know how else to describe it. When Ruby and I were still little thunderstorms like this just had a habit of drawing the Grimm to us."

"I see" Blake replied gazing out the window, "Well don't worry, if there are any Grimm here I'll protect you."

Yang smirked, "Oh? Think I can't handle myself?"

Blake crossed her arms returning the grin, "In some situations. I seem to recall getting the drop on you a number of times in our last practice match."

Meeting her teammate's eyes Yang's fist rested against her hip as she tilted her head, "Well someone's getting feisty today. I like it."

Blake's shoulders lowered, her folded arms dropping leaving her right hand to linger along her left arm, "Anyway, I think we're all done studying for tonight. Ruby managed to provoke Weiss again before fleeing the room so I'm just waiting for things to calm down some."

Fishing her scroll out of her pocket Yang chuckled, "Well that lasted longer than I thought it would. What'd she do this time?"

"The usual" Blake told her, "Just Ruby being Ruby."

Yang shook her head, "That could be any number of things" she still smiled, "Well since we're both here, want to hit the gym with me? I could use something to take my mind off things."

Blake looked at the windows again, still being battered by the rain, "The gym is on the other side of campus" she reminded her.

"Oh don't worry" Yang said, "I'll be sure to grab an umbrella to keep my little kitty from getting wet."

Blake's cheeks flushed a little as she looked away trying to hide her face, "D. Don't call me a kitty."

Yang's arm wrapped around her shoulder and she leaned over her faunus friend, "Relax, you know I'm only teasing you. So, gym?"

After a moment of thought and another smile Blake agreed, returning to their dorm for an umbrella and a bag of extra clothes before leaving the dormitory building. The storm only grew stronger as it got closer to Beacon leading the two girls to take a detour through the main building. Many students remained in the main halls having private study groups while others just met up to chat with each other, on a normal day many of these students would be in the courtyard. Returning outside Yang opened their umbrella holding it between them as they walked across the courtyard toward the campus gym, the sky flashed as streaks spread out above them the flash answered by the roar of thunder and the swirling winds spreading the downpour in every direction.

"Honestly" Blake began once they entered the gym, "All this rain makes me want to curl up in bed with a book."

"That sounds nice" a voice answered.

Their eyes moving to the row of treadmills, "Of course I'd say reading while enjoying a hot bath would be even better, especially after I'm done here."

Yang waved to her, "Professor Ivy, what brings you here?"

The russet haired teacher answered, "Needed a distraction, Sin's been insufferable lately."

"Professor Sin?" Blake wondered, "What do you mean?"

Ivy reached for her water bottle, "Once classes ended he locked himself back in his lab to keep researching a cure for the Grimm. After he promised to take it easy for a few days."

Blake walked over to her, "Isn't that good? He's trying to find a cure to help save lives."

Taking a sip from her water, Ivy shook her head, "Not if he's going to go at it for days without sleep. Add to it aside from lunch between classes he hasn't eaten at all this week."

Neither of the girls were sure how to respond, "Is he really that focused on find a cure?" Yang asked her, "He knows there are other hospitals and doctors out there doing the same right?"

Ivy panted, "He's still taking Peach's death pretty hard. He blames himself for it, he thinks if they hadn't split up he could have prevented it."

Blake hugged her arm, "Losing a friend hurts. There aren't many things out there that can match it" her voice carrying the tone of experience.

Ivy slapped the controls of the treadmill causing it to slow, "I know. She was my friend to, but I don't want him to work himself to death."

She stepped off the machine adjusting her silver sports bra, "Sorry, I didn't mean to vent to you two. I'm just really frustrated."

"It's understandable" Yang answered, "I assume you tried to bring him something to eat?"

Ivy nodded, "Yeah. And of course he got so caught up in his work he completely ignored it until it went bad. Damn fool."

"You'd think a doctor would take better care of himself" Yang said with a shrug, "Just a thought, have you tried forcing him to eat?"

"I wanted to" Ivy told her, "But I was being literal when I said he locks himself in his lab."

Yang suggested next time she try beating the sense into him, a thought Ivy already admitted to having and considering.

Walking away from the treadmills to the sandbags she raised her fists and began swinging, "Thanks for letting me vent girls, you don't have to listen to me anymore."

"I don't mind" Yang told her, "I came her to distract myself as well, though now I'm a little concerned for Professor Sin as well."

"Yeah" Ivy panted, "You, Ozpin, Glynda, me and pretty much the rest of the staff."

She nails the sandbag with a heavy left hook nearly ripping it from its hanger. Her frustration was subsiding, but she was still angry. He promised her he would rest for a while instead of work, he promised her he would take it easy for at least a few days. But of course he goes back to his lab, back to his work.

"He wasn't always like this" Ivy tells them when the two girls come back from changing, "He would still withdraw to his lab and work for days at a time, but he would still get some measure of rest between days. Usually three or four hours, but since Peach died he's been going without entirely."

Yang began stretching her arms across her chest, her attire now consisting of a bronze loose fitting jersey and black athletic shorts, "Any other ideas on how to get his head back in the game?"

Ivy rested her forehead against the sandbag, "Only one I can think of involves beating it into him. Something I fear will only make it worse."

She forced a smile, turning to the girls, "Enough of that for now. How would you like to try a true workout? One that only a real huntress uses."

Yang grinned, "I'm always down for a challenge. How bout you Blake?"

The cat faunus seemed reluctant, "I really only came along to help you, I think I'll stick with my normal workout."

Ivy checked her scroll, "Let's see. It's almost seven right now, dinner is in half an hour. Hmm. Tell you what, if you can stick it out with me I'll take you into town and buy you dinner, sound good?"

Yang brought her fists together, "Sure does. What kind of workout do you have in mind?"

Ivy leaned forward bracing herself against her knees inhaling a deep breath before straightening up again, "Well I'm already halfway through my workout so I'll just tell you what to do and if you can manage to catch up with me then you can join me for the rest of my workout."

She grinned and turned to Blake, "Ms. Belladonna are you sure you don't want to join us? A free dinner in town is on the table."

"I'm good" Blake reassured her.

"Very well" Ivy replied returning her attention to Yang, "Now do as I tell you."

Yang's natural strength proved a boon for her as Ivy's training was akin to teaching someone to swim by throwing them in the deep end of the pool. Only two hours in and Yang was approaching her limit, but despite her fatigue and sore body and aching joints she still grinned. Never one to back down Yang stood up on Ivy's command and kept going much to her teacher's approval and silent praise.

"That's enough" Ivy said just as Yang stepped onto the treadmill, "You can stop now."

Yang looked at her, "That's it?" she panted, "I can keep going."

Ivy crossed her arms, "I'm sure you could, but not for much longer. You did last longer than I thought you would. I'm impressed."

Yang chuckled even though she felt her body cramping, "Worked up a good sweat, but there was nothing to it."

Ivy couldn't help, but shake her head, "Alright, we'll continue some other time. For now go shower and change. As promised I'll take you into town and buy you both a nice dinner."

Thunder greeted them as they stepped outside, "Wow" Yang said looking up at the darkened sky, "I completely forgot about that."

Blake opened their umbrella, "Well you did say you wanted to come here to take your mind off things. Looks like it worked."

"Exercise is good for that" Ivy said opening her own umbrella, "A good workout can take your mind off a lot of things."

"Maybe that's what you should do with Professor Sin" Yang told her, "Give him a good old fashioned work out. Of course you'd have to get him here first."

Ivy fell silent as she pondered the thought, "I actually hadn't thought of that" she admitted, "It could work."

The huntress began walking, "I'll think about it. Come, the last bullhead runs at midnight so we've got a bit under two hours to make it back."

The storm continued even as they returned to Beacon, showing no signs of letting up anytime soon, the rain came down harder while the wind was unable to decide which way it wanted to go. The streaks of lightning and the deafening roars that followed them penetrated the walls of the academy, one clap strong enough to even shake the ground rousing a few of the students from their sleep. Even after they returned to their dorm and changed into their sleepwear, Yang's mind drifted back to her memories and how much she disliked thunderstorms.

She turned onto her side watching the lightning flash outside her window and with each clap of thunder her eyes moved to her sister across the room. Ruby, fast asleep would twitch with each boom causing her older sister to smile. Yang wasn't the only one who used to be afraid of storms, for a long time Ruby was as well, so much that when they still shared a room she would flee into her big sister's bed and sleep next to her. Seeing her sister flinch in her sleep with every sound of thunder reminded Yang that not every storm had a bad memory attached to it.

The sky flashed once more and Yang turned over to face the wall focusing her mind on the sound of the rain against their window.

As she closed her eyes she heard her sister's voice as it was years ago, "Yang...I'm scared. Can I sleep in your bed? Please?"


	5. Why I Work

The students waited, it had been twenty minutes since class started and their teacher was no where to be seen. Some of them passed the time by chatting others reviewed their notes from other classes and a few napped, but as the hour ticked their teacher still had not arrived. One of the students asked if they should go look for him or let another professor know that he was late, but who?

"I'll go" a male student with blonde hair said standing up.

"Don't take too long Jaune" a nearby student told him, "There's a chance he may show up before you get back."

Jaune let out a weak chuckle, "Knowing my luck that's exactly what would happen."

 _"Did something happen?"_ the boy asked himself walking out into the hall, _"Professor Sin has always been punctual and if was ever unable to make it he arranged for a substitute."_

Opening the door to the nearest classroom he entered, "Uh. Excuse me" he hesitated.

"Mr. Arc!" a voice quickly exclaimed before a slender green haired man appeared in front of him, "Why aren't you in class right now?"

Jaune stuttered, "Uh, sorry to interrupt it's just. Professor Sin hasn't shown up."

The teacher leaned down to meet his eyes adjusting his glasses as they slid down his nose, "I beg your pardon?"

Jaune leaned back, Oobleck's overly active personality always bothered him, "Well it's been an hour since class started and he hasn't shown up. So I. I just thought I'd come tell another teacher since we don't know what to do."

"I see" Oobleck replied quickly straightening himself, "Very well. I will give a call to Ozpin and Goodwitch and inform them. Please return to your class post haste. Inform your classmates that they are to use this time as a study hall and review their material."

Oobleck turned to his students, "You are all to do the same I will return shortly" with that the professor zoomed out of the classroom a trail of papers flying from his desk as he did.

As he was told, Jaune returned to his class telling them Oobleck wanted them to use this time to study which they did and when the bell rang their teacher still had not arrived.

"Maybe he overslept?" one student suggested.

"He does work a lot" another said, "He spends most of his time in his lab studying the. Well you know."

"Do you think something happened?" another student thought, "An attack or an outbreak somewhere?"

"I think we would have heard about it if that happened."

The steel door to Sin's lab flew open slamming against the steel wall, the echo loud enough to wake the dead as Professor Goodwitch marched across the monolithic floor toward the back where Sin was standing watching the wall mounted monitor.

"Sin!" she nearly yelled as she approached him, "In case you haven't noticed you had a class to teach. Four hours ago!"

"I've been busy" he answered coldly holding up a remote and pressing a button.

Glynda looked at the monitor and her eyes went wide at the paused image, "What is this?"

Sin started the footage from the beginning, "An emergency feed from one of the research facilities in Atlas. One of their staff became infected, he turned and began attacking everyone and the captive grimm were released."

Glynda watched as doctors and researchers screamed for their lives as their turned colleague and the released grimm tore them apart, blood splattering against the walls before their screams were replaced by gargles unable to form a single word. The footage ended with the body of a female doctor being thrown against a desk half her face mauled as it landed in front of the camera. Glynda turned away unable to watch while Sin started the video from the beginning once again.

"When did this happen?" she asked him.

"This morning" he told her looking at the time stamp of the video, "They managed to broadcast it to every other facility, but no one has been able to contact them since. Chances are they're all dead."

Glynda looked back at him keeping the monitor out of her peripheral, "Why haven't we heard anything about this?"

"It's being covered up" he told her, "I tried to contact the facility myself through direct communications and got nothing. Then I tried calling through the military switchboard and they told me there was too much traffic to connect my call. The Atlas military is trying to keep this under wraps."

Glynda risked another look at the monitor, "Why would they do that?"

"To avoid a panic?" Sin guessed, "Though they won't be able to keep it quiet for long" he turned to monitor off and walked back to his desk.

"What do you mean?" Glynda asked returning her attention to him.

"Protocol" Sin told her, "All of the facilities dedicated to researching the virus have a contamination protocol in place. If an outbreak occurs in a single room, the room is sealed and sterilized, by fire. But if the outbreak cannot be confined and spreads to multiple parts of the facility, then the virus is sterilized along with the facility."

It didn't take long for her to realize what he meant, the facility would be destroyed to prevent the outbreak from spreading.

"Wait" she said, "You said all of the research facilities have that protocol? Does that include your lab here?"

Sin nodded, "Of course."

"So you're telling me your lab is essentially a bomb? ON CAMPUS!"

"No it's not a bomb" he told her, "I'm not insane. That door you came through, there's a reason it's made of steel and as big as it is, the same goes for the floor, the walls and the ceiling. If an outbreak occurs in here, that door, the only way in and out of here gets sealed and everything in here gets torched. Complete containment and sterilization."

Glynda crossed her arms glaring at him, "And how come I haven't heard of this until now?"

Sin shrugged, "I don't know ask Ozpin, he okayed it and had it built for me when I agreed to work here as a teacher" he sat at his desk, "Now it looks like I'm going to have to take more time off. I may need to go out to the facility in Vrede, they may have had a breakthrough and I need to be there."

"What kind of breakthrough?" Glynda asked him, "It'd better be important if it's going to get in the way of your job as a teacher."

Sin handed her a clipboard, "They think they've finally traced the origins of the virus."

Glynda's arms fell to her side, "Really?" she asked her stern tone gone replaced by hope.

"Maybe" Sin clarified, "They're still unsure, but I'm going to head there and look it over myself."

He flipped through several pages on a clipboard, "Going back through records these creatures didn't start showing up until two years before the end of the war, and they first appeared in Vacuo."

Glynda watched him set the clipboard down and reach for another, "We already know that, what kind of lead would that be?"

He handed her a report, "They were shipped there. In containers, by boat. And since we know these creatures can't survive being in captivity for more than a few days that limits the number of places they could have come from. The island to the far south, the island that became Menagerie, that's a five day trip by boat so we can rule it out. The shortest trip between Anima and Vacuo would be a week by water, so that leaves the entire western side of Vale and the south west portion of Mantle and Vacuo itself."

Glynda looked over the report, for once a piece of paper in this lab that wasn't a bunch of scientific gibberish, "That's still a lot of ground to cover."

Sin nodded, "But it's more than what we had. The first priority is to see if any shipping logs from back then are still around in some old record storage and if they are we can track find the ship by narrowing down the dates and track it back to it's point of origin. If that doesn't work well, then we have to think of something else. Either way it puts us closer to finding a way to end this."

"Well" Glynda said setting the report back on his desk, "Clearly this takes priority over your classes. I'll talk to Ozpin and arrange a substitute."

Sin slid her a slip of paper, "Alfred Norne, my old teammate. He's a retired huntsman, but I did teach him a lot about field medicine and emergency first aid. Assuming he can take time away from his current job he'd make a good substitute. And of course there's always Ivy, but I don't want to ask her to cover multiple classes."

Glynda sighed, "So you don't want to ask another to do some extra work, but you'll work yourself to the bone without a second thought?"

"I'm used to it" Sin answered standing up from his desk and turning to one of his cabinets, "Also there's no one else to do it."

"There are nearly a thousand people" the combat instructor reminded him, "Around Remnant there are hundreds working toward the same thing you are."

He slid the cabinet drawer closed, "And in the past five years I've made more progress than an entire facility, by myself."

Their scrolls rang, an emergency news alert was being broadcast.

Sin dived for his scroll on his desk, "No, come on" he begged.

"We've just received word from an airfield in Anima, an airship carrying passengers from Mistral to Vale including a class of first-year students from Haven has crashed. The airship sent out an emergency S.O.S broadcast after being attacked by a swarm of lancers. Rescue crews and a group of huntsman were dispatched to the area along with local authorities to search for survivors, so far none have been found. We will continue to cover this story as events unfold and will keep you updated."

Glynda turned her scroll of casting her eyes to the floor, as tough and strict as she appeared in front of her students, she was still human and the events of the day began to compound and crush her.

Sin dropped his scroll back on his desk, "This is why I work" he said, "Why I push myself so far, why I refuse to sleep or eat. The sooner we find a cure the sooner we can eradicate these monsters" he braced himself against the edge of his desk hanging his head as he leaned forward, "And the sooner people can stop dying, the sooner children can stop dying."

"Even so" Glynda began the tragedies of the day still weighing on her, "You're no good to anyone if you work yourself to death. Even you need to rest at some point."

Silence, Sin stood there unsure of what to say next. She had a point, her, Ozpin, Ivy, Port and Oobleck even Peach. They all told him countless times he worked too much and needed to slow down and take time to rest and he knew they were right, but, he couldn't. He couldn't bring himself to slow down, he couldn't allow himself to rest until he was on the verge of collapse, if he stopped even for a day he feared dozens would suffer and die. This was his goal, his dream in life, to find a cure for the virus that plagued their world.

He pushed off his desk and turned his back to her walking toward the supply closet grabbing a briefcase and began gathering documents. He didn't say another word silently sorting through various reports and trial notes before setting them in the case, preparing for his trip out of the city. Vrede was only a five hour trip by airship so depending on how long he planned to stay at the main lab he should only be gone a couple of days.

He closed the lid of the steel briefcase sliding the dial wheels to lock the latch, "If all goes well I'll be back in a few days" he finally said grabbing his brown fur lined jacket, "If I end up staying longer I'll be sure to contact you."

Glynda crossed her arms once more, "Not like I can stop you" she said, her usual tone returning, "Just come back in one piece."

The two left, Sin locking his lab behind him and saying goodbye to Glynda as he stepped off the elevator and made his way to the bullhead landing. His jacket slung over his shoulder and the briefcase with his research in hand he sent a message to the lead of the Vrede lab telling them he would be leaving Beacon shortly, he noticed a missed call on the screen, Ivy had tried to call him earlier, just before Glynda arrived in his lab. Her voicemail as usual was her complaining about him working too much and missing his class, not that he blamed her.

"Sorry Ivy" he said sliding the scroll back into his pocket, "Hopefully one day I won't have to do this anymore."

Arriving at the bullhead landing he saw a second ship waiting with four students preparing to board. Judging by the way they were going over their bags it seemed they were about to leave on a mission, though it was hard to tell what team it was until he saw one of the students stand.

 _"Team CFVY"_ he noted, seeing the towering form of Yatsuhashi Daichi, no other student in Beacon or staff member matched his height.

A star team that was not only one of the best in Beacon, but top of the second-year class. Since their formation they had an impressive track record every time they went into the field. It was Velvet, the faunus girl with rabbit ears that saw him first, she waved as he approached calling out a greeting to him which made the doctor smile.

Velvet was normally a shy and rather timid girl often staying quiet in most matters and outside of her own team rarely talking to others, but when it came to him she was always happy.

"Hello Velvet" he greeted her, "Ms. Adel, Mr. Alistar, Mr. Daichi."

"Professor Sin" Yatsuhashi nodded.

"Came to see us off?" Coco asked him.

Sin shook his head, "No, I'm on my way to the research lab in Vrede for a conference, but since I saw one of my favorite teams here I may as well say hello."

Velvet smiled, "Are you alright?" she asked him, "I heard you missed your classes today."

Sin nodded, "I'm more or less fine, just, had a lot of work that couldn't wait. I should've alerted Ozpin or Glynda, but I was too focused on my research."

The faunus girl's smile faded a little, "Oh. Any luck?"

Sin shook his head, "Nothing of note, but the lab in Vrede may have had a breakthrough" each of the students locked their attention on him, "That's why I'm heading out there. They've called for a meeting with the head of each facility and lab so we can all take a look at it together."

"I see" Velvet replied looking at the ground, "Well we're off to the eastern quadrant, a town out there has requested aid to help clear out a pack of grimm that have been prowling around. Thankfully no one's been hurt so far."

"That's good" Sin answered before grinning, "A town in the eastern quadrant huh? A pack of grimm lurking about. Reminds of a time I met a little faunus girl who got lost in the forest."

Velvet's shoulders raised covering her neck as she smiled shyly, "Crying her eyes out before a beowolf appeared" Sin continued, "But she was saved by a, rather dashing and well dressed huntsman."

Velvet looked up at him remembering just as clearly as he did the day they met nearly nine years ago, the day she nearly died until he appeared and saved her and the day she decided she would become a huntress.

"I should thank you for that" Coco said leaning against Velvet's shoulder, "If it wasn't for you I never would have met my special bun here."

Velvet's cheeks flushed, "Coco" she muttered looking away once more causing her leader and teacher to laugh.

"Keep each other safe" Sin told them, "I'll see you all when I get back."

He turned around heading to his own bullhead when he stopped and called back, "Oh and Velvet. Be sure to take some good pictures for me."

Velvet called back as he stepped onto the airship, "I will" she waved watching the ship leave, before boarding the other with her team.

Heading in opposite directions she watched the dot in the sky get smaller as it got farther away, her smile fading with it over the horizon. Her and her teammates saw the news broadcast about the ship from Mistral that was attacked and crashed and she knew he had seen it as well. Every time there was a grimm attack bad enough to make the news Sin would always lock himself in his lab and focus solely on his work for days on end. He wasn't just going to the other lab to attend a conference, he was going so he could have access to their research and equipment and he wouldn't sleep or rest as long as he was there.

Feeling a hand on her shoulder Velvet looked behind her to see Coco, "He'll be alright" she told Velvet.

Velvet looked back out at the empty sky, "He works harder than anyone else when it comes to the grimm. He won't be back in a few days, he'll be gone for a week maybe longer without sleeping and without food. Like he always does."

"He does it for you" Yatsuhashi said sitting on the floor crossing his legs, "He does it for all the students at Beacon and everyone in Remnant, but you're special to him. You've been his favorite student since you started here and you're history together. He wants to make sure you have a safe future ahead of you."

"I know" Velvet answered, "I just don't want it to come at the cost of his own health."


	6. Separate Ways

"Velvet on your left!" Coco called out ducking under a beowolf's claws and retaliating by smacking it with her designer bag.

Her faunus teammate leaped into the air back flipping over another beowolf the camera at her hip projecting a blue-white light that took the form of her leader's designer bag. Taking the hard light copy construct by the handle with both hands Velvet brought it down on the monster's head as she landed behind it sending it to the ground. She smiled pleased with herself as the grimm dissolved into black mist, her skills had come a long way since she first entered Beacon.

"Good job" Coco told her setting her hand on her shoulder, "Now then" she smirked looking behind her, "Just a few more. At this rate we'll probably be done before Fox and Yatsuhashi."

Velvet stood at Coco's side, "Do you think they're ok?"

"I'm sure they're fine" Coco answered confidently, "We are the number one team in the second-year class for a reason you know."

Velvet quickly counted the remaining grimm, "I know, I'm just worried because there are far more than we were told there was."

Team CFVY had taken a search and destroy mission in the eastern quadrant just outside the city of Vale where a small town had noticed a pack of grimm roaming around. For the first week no one was hurt, but since then the grimm had started getting closer and the residents were becoming scared. A request for aid was sent to Beacon and the Vale council and since the reported number of grimm was so low the council deemed it not enough of a threat for a professional huntsman and passed it off to Headmaster Ozpin at Beacon.

By the time CFVY arrived at the town nearly a dozen people had decided to pack up and flee to the city until the grimm were wiped out, some even evacuated on the bullhead the students used to get there while the remaining people barricaded themselves in their homes at night. According to the mayor the pack shouldn't have numbered more than a few dozen, so the second-year team split into teams of two to deal with them, but so far Coco and Velvet alone have already killed almost a hundred. They hadn't heard from Fox or Yatsuhashi in almost an hour and Velvet was beginning to worry despite her leader's insistence that they would be fine.

The three beowolves that were left began circling the two girls who quickly stood back to back to cover each other and as the first one leapt at them Velvet ducked and Coco spun on her heel a backhand strike from her bag sending the monster into a tree. As she ducked Velvet turned as well spinning to the side and jumping to her feet as she swung the hard light bag in her hand, the edge of it slamming against the second beowolf's jaws causing its head to snap to the side. The last of them lunged forward and the two girls nodded at each other swinging their bags and smashing the monster's head between them killing it on the spot.

"See?" Coco asked Velvet, "If we had such an easy time with this many I'm sure Fox and Yatsuhashi are fine."

The hard light copy of Coco's weapon vanished from Velvet's hand, "I'm sure you're right, I just can't shake this feeling, after what happened yesterday with that airship that crashed."

"You worry too much" Coco told her adjusting her shades, "But if it'll make you feel better let's go find them. Did you remember to keep count?"

Velvet nodded, "We killed ninety-three."

Coco smirked, "Pretty good, wonder if those two managed to get that many. If not dinner's on them" she gestured for Velvet to follow as they went deeper into the forest.

Farther north in the city of Vrede, Sin had finally arrived at the main research facility for the kingdom of Vale. Scanning his ID badge at the door he waited for the electromagnetic lock to disengage before walking in. The first level which was open to the public had a lot of people in it, almost crowded the news from that morning about the airship that was downed by a lancer swarm had sent many citizens into a paranoid frenzy. Sin squeezed through them to get to the security checkpoint at the back that led to the sub-levels, showing his clearance badge to the faunus guard he was allowed through.

He sighed in relief when the steel doors closed behind him cutting off the noise from the lobby, he didn't blame the people for being scared, but they were so loud the head of security had used a megaphone and could only barely be heard over the crowd. Using his clearance badge on the elevator door he waited for it to open before using the badge again to gain access to sub-level 3 where the main lab was.

"Hold the door please" he heard a woman's voice call out to him.

Quickly putting his arm between the doors to stop them closing he waited until the black-haired woman stepped on.

"Thank you" she said quickly holding her own badge against the scanner, "I was running late."

Sin nodded, "You're welcome, Dr...Fall" he said reading the name on her badge.

"You can call me Cinder" the woman answered with a smile, her amber eyes shining in the elevator's light.

Sin nodded again, "Alright. I haven't seen you around before, you new?"

"I am" she answered, "Well I've been doing this for a while I'm just new to the more important stuff. I just got my level three clearance a few months ago in Mistral."

"Mistral?" Sin repeated, "How's Dr. Fishburne doing out there? Still driving everyone up the wall?"

Cinder looked down, "He was. He died nine days ago."

Sin froze, "What? I didn't hear about that."

The woman nodded, "Thankfully it wasn't from the grimm, he was just old and sick" she covered her mouth, "Oh, that sounded rude didn't it?"

"Don't worry about it" he told her as the doors opened, "So who's in charge at the main now?"

"Dr. Della Robbia is the lead now" she told him stepping off the elevator.

"That's odd" Sin smirked, "He doesn't exactly have the mindset for this kind of work. He's good at theories, but the actual research aspect of this isn't in his skill set."

Cinder agreed, "No it isn't, but he is good at spotting the talents of the others and he puts everyone on a team to compliment the other's skills. Thanks to him our lab is looking to make some real progress in the coming months."

Sin opened the door for her, "That's good. After what happened to the lab in Atlas we're all going to need to have to step it up."

Cinder walked through the door, but stopped, "You're. Sin Helms right? The doctor and huntsman who has a solo operation at Beacon?"

He nodded and she smiled, "I've heard a lot about you. You're dedication to this cause is second to none and you're work ethic is perfect something we should all strive to adopt."

Sin rubbed his nape, "Well, I know a few people who would disagree with that. The work ethic part not the dedication part. My friends, some of my students and even my bosses think I spend too much time working. They're worried I'll end up working myself to death."

"Should they be?" she asked him as they continued to the main lab.

Sin shrugged, "I can't blame them for thinking that way. To be honest when I get focused like I do I tend to stay at it for days on end getting so wrapped up in my work that I forget to eat or sleep. Most of the time it ends with me just passing out from the exhaustion."

Cinder stepped in front and faced him smiling, "That just shows your dedication to what you do, but perhaps you should tone it down just a little, for the sake of your friends. If something were to happen to you I'm sure they'd be devastated and it would also be a big loss for all of us, you're discoveries have helped further our endeavors more than any single lab has in the past five years."

Sin shrugged again, "Just the results of hard work" he said stopping at the door to the main lab and scanning his badge, "Well the conference is starting in about ten minutes that gives us time to grab something to eat real quick."

"You go ahead" Cinder told him, "I'm actually not here for the conference I'm just here to drop off some research notes and test results" she held up her briefcase, "After that I'm heading back to Mistral."

Sin smiled, "A shame, well it was nice meeting you" he said offering his hand.

"Likewise" she replied shaking his hand before they went their separate ways.

"Fox" Velvet called as her and Coco walked through the forest, "Yatsu! Where are you guys? Coco and I are all done."

"They're still not answering their scrolls" Coco said sliding hers back into her pocket.

Velvet turned to her, "Maybe they're still fighting? They may have run into more than us."

Coco tilted her shades down scanning the tree line, "Maybe. If that is the case then I guess dinner is on me for the rest of the week. If they are still in combat we should hear them, they couldn't have gone that deep into the forest."

Velvet checked her own scroll, "Neither of them have tried to call me" she said seeing no missed calls, but one unread message.

"From Sin?" she muttered seeing the name on the message, _"Just remembered your birthday is in three days. I'll treat you and your team to dinner when I get back."_

Coco stood behind her reading over her shoulder, "You know" she began making Velvet jump, "You spend too much time with him you're going to make me jealous."

Velvet turned to her hugging the scroll against her chest, "He's just a friend" she told her, "He. He saved my life when I was little."

Coco smirked, "I remember" she said placing her finger against Velvet's chest, "I should remember to thank him for that, if not for him I never would have met you."

Velvet's cheeks turned a tint of pink, "Coco I" she stopped when Coco's finger pressed against her lips her leader's playful expression gone as she looked over her shoulder.

Velvet heard it to, something moving behind the trees. Coco turned readying her weapon as Velvet slid her scroll back into her pocket falling into a defensive stance alongside her leader. Whatever was moving was getting closer and heading right toward them.

Coco warned, "Velvet, get ready" preparing to transform her purse her finger stopped over the switch when she saw their teammates step out from the shadows.

Velvet gasped, "Fox, Yatsu!"

"Coco, Velvet" the tall swordsman said with a relieved expression, "We've been looking for you."

Coco lowered her purse, "That's what I was going to say, where have you two been?"

Fox gestured over his shoulder, "An ursa and boarbatusk ambushed us when we tried to call you, our scrolls were crushed."

Coco sighed, "As long as your both ok" she said shaking her head, "Anyway, what's your count?"

"Eighty-nine" Fox told her which made Coco grin, "Ninety-three" she told them, "Guess you're paying for dinner for the next week."

The red haired huntsman in training chuckled, "Well a deal's a deal, just go easy on our wallets."

As Coco said she won't make any promises Velvet looked at her scroll again, replying to her friend's message, _"I'm sure they would like that. I just hope you're getting rest out there."_

As she pressed send she looked back at her teammates so caught up in their friendly banter that she didn't hear it until it was too late. A king taijitu rose from the bushes striking at the faunus catching her flat-footed.

"Velvet!" Yatsuhashi yelled seeing the black head of the massive serpent just before it's head swung downward ramming into Velvet's side sending her beyond the tree line where they couldn't see.

"Yatsu go!" Coco ordered as her and Fox began attacking the grimm.

Yatsuhashi rushed past the tree line in the direction Velvet went, finding her thirteen meters from where they were slumped against a tree slowly getting up.

"Velvet!" Yatsu called rushing to her side.

She took his hand and stood, "I'm alright" she panted, "My aura's gone, but it took the damage, I'm just a little winded."

"Look out!" Yatsuhashi yelled pushing her to the side and raising his sword blocking the attack from the other end of the king taijitu.

The grimm's fangs hooked around Yatsuhashi's blade as he struggled against it calling for Velvet's to help. Looking around for her weapon Velvet saw it half buried in a bush and dived for it. Bringing out a copy of Coco's weapon Velvet fired at the king taijitu distracting it long enough for Yatsuhashi to turn his sword and cut its head in half.

Dismissing her copy of Coco's minigun Velvet leaned forward bracing herself on her knees as she caught her breath, thanking her teammate for the save. With the massive serpent dead the team regrouped leaving the forest and returning to the village to report their success while waiting for their bullhead to take them home.

After Cinder and Sin went their separate ways she opened another door where a single guard stood at the end of the hall next to an electronically sealed door. Approaching the end of the hall the guard stood in front of her asking for her clearance badge to which she smirked handing him her card.

Taking her card the dark skinned guard looked at it for only a second, "I can't let you in here ma'am this area is for level four clea."

His words were silenced as a sword was shoved through his throat, blood quickly pooling on the floor as his arms went limp and his legs slack. Watching his eyes roll into the back of his head Cinder pulled her blade from his neck and watched as he body dropped into the corner the blood from his wound dying his blue uniform. Taking the dead guard's hand and pressing it against the palm scanner Cinder stepped over the blood-soaked corpse and through the door into the live specimen room.

When the door opened the snarls and growls of several dozen grimm filled the warehouse sized room. Hundreds of cages of varying sizes lined the walls many filled with the different species of grimm, beowolves including a few alphas, ursa with a single major, boarbatusks, creeps and even a cage of a flock of smaller nevermores. As she passed by each cage she placed a small disc shaped device from her bag on the lock, humming as she went through the room. With the final one in place she used the guard's body to prop open the electronic door and passed by the conference room where the many experts and authorities on the grimm were meeting.

She noticed multiple well known researchers in the room, doctors, virologists, scientists, and the lead of every laboratory in the kingdom of Vale where all in this room. Then her eyes landed on Sin.

 _"Even Dr. Helms is here"_ she thought to herself, _"As a huntsman he may be an obstacle, if he survives."_

Back in the main lobby of the facility she pulled her scroll from her pocket and with the push of a button the devices she placed on the cages of the grimm activated, shorting out the electronic locks and opening their doors.


	7. Escape Part 1

Sin looked through the reports, "What are you thinking?" one of the other doctors asked him.

Dr. Shore, a tiger faunus from Vacuo, bright orange hair and dark skin with a thick tail swaying behind him. One of the top ten researchers in all of Remnant and like Sin a huntsman. He was only a huntsman for a short time after he graduated from Haven academy, six short years before deciding to change his career choice to researching the creatures of grimm his skills as a huntsman allowing him to capture the monsters alive for study.

Sin hummed, "I'm thinking we need to try and dig up old shipping manifests from back then. If the first grimm really came to Vacuo by boat then someone had to send them. There are only a few places they could have come from considering their shortened life spans while in captivity."

Dr. Shore crossed his arms, "If it was that easy it would have been done years ago. Chances are the manifests from back then were falsified and even if we were to recover them they probably wouldn't lead anywhere."

Another man walked up to them, a rather scrawny human male with pale skin and messy brown hair, "Personally I think we should be considering how these creatures were created in the first place. We know its a virus of some sort, a mutagen that turns normal animals into these abominations and causes humans and faunus to lose their minds, but where did the virus come from? These monsters only started appearing eighty-years ago just before the end of the war and we have no reason to believe this virus predates that time."

Sin looked at him, "So in other words we need to be looking into people or businesses from that period who had interests in sciences."

The man nodded, "Not just sciences, any form of research that did not involve machinery. There will be much to go through, but I believe that will be a much better lead to follow."

"Shore?" Sin asked, "Your thoughts?"

The tiger faunus wrapped his hand around his chin, "It would definitely be easier to find records of an old business than it would be to find a shipping manifest. There's always been the idea that some corporation created the virus to be used as a weapon, but no real evidence or reasoning could ever be brought forth to give it any credibility."

Sin returned his focus to the papers in front of him, "We could tackle this from both sides. Even if the shipping logs seems like a long shot I feel we should try it, we didn't get to where we are today by dismissing ideas without attempting first."

The scrawny human agreed, "That is true, and we do have enough resources to pursue both. Sadly the lead at my lab is not convinced of my idea."

Dr. Shore looked at him, "And which lab are you from? I don't recall ever meeting you before?"

The tiny human met his gaze, "Oh I'm from Mistral's capital facility. Even though I have level three clearance Dr. Birk won't listen to me."

Sin sighed, "That sounds like him, his ego and narcissism is unmatched."

Shore agreed, "Good ol' Bill, if he doesn't agree to another's ideas he steals them as his own. Honestly if it wasn't for the fact that he was good at his job I would have gotten him thrown out long ago."

"Isn't he here?" Sin asked, "I'm pretty sure I saw him on the sign in list."

"Yes he's here" the weak hazel-haired man answered, "Though he didn't attend the conference, he said it wasn't worth his time so he's in the lab."

"Yeah that's Bill" Sin said, "By the way what's your name?"

"Oh me?" he seemed surprised by him asking, "Oh well, I'm Jacob. Jacob Romine."

Sin and Shore glanced at each other, "You're Jacob Romine?" Shore asked in disbelief.

"Y, yes" he answered.

Shore continued, "You're the guy who discovered the chemical compound we use to tranquilize those monsters?"

Romine lowered his head, "Yeah."

Sin crossed his arms, "Not what I imagined you would look like."

Romine rubbed his nape, "Well my accomplishment doesn't really reflect my appearance, or personality."

Shore asked, "Didn't Dr. Birk say the tranquilizer compound was his idea?"

Sin shrugged, "You said it, dear old William loves to try and steal credit for the work of others. He tried to do it to me once when I visiting his facility" he laughed, "Of course he tried to publish the idea without any trials which actually gave me more time to iron out the details and get the whole thing to work."

Shore nodded to the side, "Not a surprise, he's only in this for the money after all."

"ROMINE!" a voice boomed.

A rather portly fair skinned man with a thick black moustache walked into the room, his brown eyes glaring at Jacob who was now trembling.

"Where have you been?" he asked straightening his red tie and the colors of his bark blue suit.

Jacob stuttered, "Uh, I was attending the conference sir."

Birk crossed his arms, "The conference that ended twenty minutes ago? I seem to recall tell you to bring hurry back once it was over and yet here you stand without what I told you to bring me."

Birk looked at Sin and Dr. Shore, "Look who's here, Sin Helms. The man who thinks he can do the job of an entire facility all by himself."

Sin shrugged, "Well I have."

Birk then turned to Shore, "And why are you here Shore? What have you done recently to be invited to such an important gathering?"

Shore asked him, "You mean besides capturing live specimens for facilities throughout the kingdoms?

The heavyset doctor glared at him, "You bring in specimens, well good for you. What contributions have you actually made to find a cure? Nothing, but I guess that's all that can be expected from a faunus, what you lack in brains you make up for in brawn."

Sin stepped between them, "Would you care to repeat that last part?"

Before Birk could answer him gunshots echoed in the hall outside and they could hear other researchers screaming and then came the howls.

"No" Shore said before Sin rushed out into the hall just in time to see a beowolf pounce a guard and with a single swipe of its claws rip shred his armor.

Sin looked back into the room, "Shore let's go" he yelled sprinting toward the beowolf tackling it off the pinned guard.

The grimm turned and snarled at Sin as he ducked to cover the guard while Dr. Shore behind him drew his weapon and began firing at the monster killing it. Sin helped the guard back to his feet, thankfully his armor was just torn up and he was uninjured. Taking the guard's second pistol Sin asked how the beowolf had gotten in.

"I don't know how it happened" the guard explained, "I came down for a shift change and I saw Barney dead and grimm coming out of the live specimen room. Somehow they got out."

The halls echoed with the howls of the grimm and Sin yelled, "We need to leave now!"

"Is there anyone else down here?" Shore asked the guard.

The guard shook his head, "Anyone back there is dead, we need to get everyone off this level before lockdown goes into effect."

Hearing more howls Sin pushed the guard behind him, "Let's get going. Shore take point I'll cover the rear."

"Alright let's go" Shore said, "Romine, Birk stay behind me."

The group moved though the halls away from the conference room and toward the labs making sure everyone was alerted and had gotten out, instead they saw the labs half destroyed and blood covering every wall and shelf. Three bodies littered the floor, limbs and other pieces strewn about the room along with organs and other gore. Dr. Romine covered his mouth running to a nearby waste bin to empty his stomach with Sin staying close to make sure he wasn't attacked.

Shore shook his head, "No way anyone survived down here."

Sin replied, "As unlikely as it may be we can't risk leaving people behind, we need to try and find anyone who might be alive and get them out of here."

Dr. Birk shouted, "Are you daft? We need to save ourselves, everyone down here is on their own. Why should we risk our lives for them if they weren't smart enough to get out of here?"

Sin checked the ammunition in his pistol, "Because I said so. Shore I've got fifteen, what about you?"

Shore answered, "Twelve. Let's do a quick sweep of each room and get out of here."

The guard agreed, "I wouldn't feel right leaving someone behind. As terrifying as this is, we have to at least try. Let's go, each office keeps a spare weapon just in case, it would be better if we were all armed."

Shore asked him, "What's your name anyway?"

"Jeffery, Jeffery Matoi."

Sin asked him, "Any combat experience?"

Matoi nodded, "Former corporal in the Atlas military. I've fought these things a couple of times, I can hold my own."

Shore slowly opened a door, "You know how to use aura?"

Shore shook his head, "No sir. But any weapon you hand me I can use, so I won't hold you back."

"Good" Sin said opening a drawer and tossing him another pistol, "Alright, Romine, Birk, let's get you two armed."

Moving further down the hall the silence was becoming unnerving, with the grimm loose the alarm should have sounded, but so far nothing.

"No!" they heard someone scream from around the corner, "Stay back! No!"

"Let's move!" Shore yelled sprinting down the hall with Matoi behind him.

A pair of scientists were running from the grimm one of them firing a gun blindly behind him as they ran, both of their lob coats stained in blood.

"Over here" Shore yelled to them catching their attention.

The two began running toward the faunus, but the window into a nearby lab shattered as a beowolf lunged through it tackling one of the scientists and sinking its jaws into his shoulder. He screamed and flailed begging for help before the grimm jumped back into the room as Shore began shooting at it the pained screams of its prey soon silenced by the sickening sound of flesh being ripped apart. Shore yelled at the remaining scientist to keep running, sprinting down the hall to cover his retreat until they made it back to the group.

"Owen. They got Owen" he panicked, "They killed him."

Shore kept his weapon trained at the hall in front of them, "Its too late, is there anyone else down that way?"

He shook his head, "No, we were the last two, we were taking our break in the security room with my husband when we noticed the grimm getting out of their pens. We tried to sound the alarm, but it was tampered with and the security footage from before the conference was all erased."

Sin looked at the camera on the corner wall, "These are live feeds on a closed circuit" he said.

Matoi suggested, "Someone must have hacked in somehow. Either way if the alarm was tampered with that means no one above us has any idea what's going on. We need to find a way to signal an evacuation. If we can keep the grimm contained to this level we can activate the sanitation protocol and wipe them out."

Sin nodded before looking at the researcher, "Are you sure you're the last one down here?"

He nodded, "Everyone else is. My husband he."

Shore grabbed his shoulder, "Look, I know you're afraid, but there will time for mourning later. For now we need to get out of here, alright?"

The scientist struggled to compose himself, "Alright, here" he handed Shore his gun, "There's probably only a few rounds left, but you'll make better use of it than me."

"It'll be fine Dr. Quartz" Matoi told him, "We'll get you out of here, just stay close."

"Let's go" Sin told them turning back the way they came.

They backtracked through the labs hearing the growls of the monsters in the adjacent rooms and labs forcing them to crouch and duck under the windows to sneak by them. They could hear them in one of the rooms, eating. The sounds of bones snapping and voracious chomping and swallowing. Dr. Quartz and Romine covered their mouths struggling to not shudder or panic lest the monsters hear them.

"We're almost to the elevators" Sin said as they rounded a corner, "Just down this hall and."

A gunshot echoed through the hall followed by someone yelling.

"Come on! Come on!" another gunshot.

"Shotgun" Shore said noticing the sound of the weapon.

"You're not going to eat me" the person continued yelling as he fired, "Take that you mealy-mouthed bastards!"

Howls came from behind the group the sound of the echoing gunshots attracting the grimm.

"Dammit" Sin growled, "Let's move!"

Bringing his aura up he ran around the corner toward the elevators shouting as they rounded the corner, "Friendlies hold your fire!"

They saw a guard covered in blood aiming a shotgun at them, "Stay back!" he demanded, "Any of you bit?"

"We're clean" Sin told him, "I'm a huntsman from Beacon, we're fine."

The blood-stained guard lowered his weapon, "Alright" he said as the elevator door opened, "Come on we need to get out of here."

Stepping into the elevator the guard slammed his fist against the wall, "What is this shit?! How did those things get out and why hasn't the alarm sounded?"

"Someone tampered with our security" Quartz told him, "I just don't know why anyone would want to release those monsters."

"Questions for later" Shore told them, "For now we need to focus on."

He stopped when the blood-stained guard began coughing, hunching against the wall as hack after hack expelled air from his lungs soon followed by blood.

"No!" Romine panicked backing into the corner with Quarts and Birk, "He was bitten! He was bitten!"

"I'm fine" the guard coughed, "I'm not" another cough, "I'm not infe."

His coughing got worse and worse until he could no longer breathe and he dropped to his knees passing out. Sin, Shore and Matoi stood between him and the others, the claustrophobic elevator making the situation even more terrifying as they waited. The elevator passed by sub-level two only two more levels and they would be back at the ground floor.

"Don't take your eyes off him" Shore whispered, "He could turn at any second."

Then the elevator rumbled before coming to a stop as the lights went out, illuminating them in a dim red emergency glow as everything became silent.


	8. Escape Part 2

_Matoi yelled over the noise, "Twenty minutes! We need to get out of here!"_

 _Hearing that Sin started a countdown on his scroll and called to them, "Alright let's move."_

 _Turning the first corner Sin swore seeing the infected rushing toward them, "They're coming!" he called alerting the group._

The minutes crawled by as they stood in the dimly lit elevator. The guard they had met at the elevator door had begun coughing before passing out on the floor and then the elevator's power went out. Sin, Shore and Matoi stood between the collapsed guard and the terrified scientists, their weapons trained on the body of the guard.

Sin tapped Shore's arm, "Get the door."

Shore handed his weapon to Matoi stepped to the side to try and pry open the elevator door.

Birk told Sin, "Just shoot him" keeping his voice down as to not rouse the infected guard.

Sin shook his head, "He may not be infected, and even if he is the small space we're in will amplify the sound on the gunshot, I like my hearing the way it is."

Shore got his fingers between the elevator doors and began pushing outward forcing the doors open, "We've got a problem" he said stepping to the side.

The elevator was halfway past sub-level two leaving a medium size opening, they would have to crawl through.

Sin nodded, "Shore you go first, Matoi you follow, after that, Romine, Quartz and Birk, I'll be last out."

Shore rolled his shoulders back, "I'm getting too old for this" he said lowering onto his stomach and sliding out of the opening getting to his feet and turning to take his gun back from Matoi before the guard slid out behind him.

Shore moved to the end of the hall checking his corners before looking back and giving Matoi a thumb's up.

Matoi looked over his shoulder, "Hallway clear" he told the people still in the elevator.

Sin motioned for Romine to go followed by Quartz, both of whom slid out one after the other with Birk scrambling right behind them. Keeping his eyes and weapon on the fallen guard Sin approached his body his aura up just in case as he pressed two fingers against the side of the guard's throat. His pulse was there, but weak. Grabbing the guard's shoulder he pulled turning him onto his back and began unclipping his vest removing it, there was only one way to check if he was infected.

Unzipping the jacket part of the guard's uniform and lifting up the shirt under it he checked the guard's skin. It was turning white. Sin backed away until his back pressed against the wall keeping his weapon on the guard as he lowered himself to his knees and crawled backwards out of the elevator.

Shore looked at him, "Is he?"

Sin nodded, "Nothing we can do, let's move."

Shore took point once more and led the group through the halls the dead silence in the halls unnerved even the seasoned huntsman as he peeked into each room they passed to make sure no grimm had somehow made it to that level.

Birk told them, "This sneaking around is stupid, the only way out of sub-level three is by the elevators we just took. It is completely impossible for the grimm to be here."

"Keep your voice down" Sin quietly commanded, "There were no bite marks on that guard and he was infected. Which means we can't rule out the possibility the virus was somehow introduced here."

Matoi concluded, "Which means infected."

Sin nodded, "Let's hope that's not the case."

Quartz asked, "But how would one go about spreading the virus here? It's impossible for it to be a airborne it can only be transmitted through bodily fluids like saliva and blood."

Romine looked up, "What if someone mixed it into the water?"

They all looked at each other.

"Of course" Birk said, "Eight years ago an entire town got infected out of the blue. Upon investigation it was because the body of several infected was found in the stream where they get their drinking water. If someone mixed the virus into the water here then that would cause an outbreak amongst the staff. Gods I'm brilliant."

Sin looked at Romine, "Good thinking Romine."

The puny scientists rubbed his nape, "Oh, well thank you."

Birk groaned, "Oh shut up Romine, let's keep moving I want out of here."

Sin looked at Quartz and Matoi, "Isn't the facility's server room on this level?"

They both nodded, "Yes, but without the power there's not much we could use it for" Quartz answered.

"I could" Matoi said, "Well maybe, depending on what you want to do I could do some work on the wiring to give us some bit of power."

Sin told them, "I need to get a signal boost so I can call Ozpin."

The group continued through the halls making sure to remain silent as they passed by each room. Bodies littered the rooms, some on the floor facedown others on their sides some sitting in corners or slouched against walls while some had fallen over their desks, no visible blood or injuries on any of them as far as they could tell leading them to believe Romine's theory about the water being true. The dim emergency lighting only served to make the atmosphere around them even more nerve-racking as they proceeded unsure as to if or when those infected would finally get up and begin roaming.

No one had brought it up yet, but if the power was out they had no way of activating the facility's sanitation and if the virus had spread to the ground floor lobby they had no way of initiating the emergency lockdown. Without power there was nothing they could do aside from escape and call for help to contain the outbreak. It was on everyone's mind, but no one brought it up instead they focused on surviving.

Matoi pointed at an open door, "That's the server room. You said all you need is a signal boost so you can make a call to someone?"

Sin nodded, "To Ozpin back at Beacon I need to tell him what happened. After that we can start thinking on what to do next."

"Clear" Shore told them after checking the room, "I'll stand guard make it quick."

Matoi went to work opening the panels for one of the servers, "Good thing all of these are constantly transmitting and sharing data to each other, otherwise we'd lose everything we have stored here."

Pulling out a think cable Matoi took his knife making an angled incision against the cable peeling back the rubber covering to get at the wires.

He chuckled, "A little trick I learned in the Atlas military."

Pulling one of the wires out he asked for Sin's scroll sliding the cut wire into it's charge port handing it back to him and telling him he'll only have a few minutes before the current overloads his scroll.

Sin nodded, "Already dialing."

"Sin" Ozpin's voice answered after what felt like hours, "How is your conference?"

Sin cut him off, "Ozpin we have a problem. There's been an outbreak."

Ozpin leaned in closer, "How many?"

Sin shook his head, "I'm not sure. Right now there's me and five others the grimm in the facility are loose, but contained on that level, but it seems someone managed to spread the virus amongst the staff, they're all still unconscious, but they are turning. The security systems have been tampered with and the power grid is out."

Ozpin lowered his head, "What do you need me to do?"

"Call the council" Sin told him, "I need local police, huntsman anyone and I need a complete perimeter set up in a two block radius around the facility. Deploy bullheads with snipers if you have to, but I need everything within two blocks evacuated and secured, without the power we can't activate the lockdown or sanitation."

Ozpin nodded, "Alright I'll send the word out. How do you plan on getting out?"

Sin took a moment, "Right now that's not a priority. We're going to see if we can't restore enough power to activate lockdown and sanitation level two."

Ozpin stood up, but Sin didn't give him the chance to object, "Ozpin, it has to be done. I don't plan on dying down here, but my main priority is making sure this infection doesn't make it outside."

Ozpin hung his head, "Just make sure make it home, I won't accept anything less."

Sin hesitated, "I need you to promise me something Oz. If I don't make it out, tell Ivy and Velvet I'm sorry."

Ozpin looked at the video feed on his scroll, "Alright. Just don't give up."

Sin nodded, "I won't, got to go wish us luck we're going to need it."

Ending the call and pulling the wire from his scroll Sin turned to the people behind him. The plan was to head to the nearby generator room and try to restore as much power as they can to initiate the facility's lockdown first and if they could sanitation. Birk objected claiming they should be focused on getting out more than anything raising his voice when Sin disagreed.

"You listen here" Birk nearly shouted, "Just because you think you're a one man army and research team doesn't mean you get to call the shots. As far as authority goes I outrank you in these labs so you will listen to me."

Shore interjected, "Normally you would be correct, but in an emergency situation such as this huntsman have authority so we actually outrank you right now."

Birk stood in front of him, "Now you listen to me you overgrown muscle-headed housecat! I will not take orders from a man who can't even keep his personal life in order and I damn sure won't take orders from a wash-out like you! We are leaving and that's the end of it!"

Sin leapt at the irate doctor covering his mouth, "Shut, up" he demanded, "You yelling is going to wake the infected and if you get one of us killed I guarantee you'll be the next one to die. With the way you're acting right now you're only proving why you shouldn't be in charge, you are a liability and I will leave you here to find your own way out."

He backed away from him, "Now keep your mouth shut and fall in line. We're heading the generator room on the other side of this level and we're restoring the power. Shore you lead."

They left the room, little did they know Birk's shouting did stir the infected staff. One of the bodies in the adjacent room leaned over a desk began twitching in its seat. The shoulder jerked back as the doctor's head slowly rose, his red eyes glowing in the dimly lit room, large amounts of saliva pouring from his open mouth as he stood up knocking the chair over behind him. Hearing the shouting from the next room the infected doctor snapped his head in the direction of the noise gurgling and snarling in response the sound as it shuffled toward the open doorway.

Shore slowly opened the door to the generator room scanning the darkened room, counting the bodies on the floor.

Matoi whispered, "I'm glad you faunus can see in the dark, but I'd still prefer it if we could find a flashlight or something."

Shore pointed at a maintenance closet, "Try in there. Sin stay and guard the door."

Sin stood at the doorway as Shore crept in avoiding the bodies of the staff and maintenance workers while Matoi checked the nearby closet finding a pair of flashlights and the fuse box for the whole floor. Holstering his weapon he turned the flashlight on checking the fuses and flipping them all off. The reset handle was nearby all he had to do was give it a few pumps and flip the fuses again.

Matoi looked at them, "Hold on to your butts" he said flipping the fuses one by one and then the main switch.

The emergency lights flickered before being replaced by the normal lights illuminating the whole room.

"Shore!" Romine called pointing at the corner next to the maintenance terminal.

An infected worker stood up turning to face them blood dripping from her mouth, at her feet hunched in the corner the body of another custodian, his neck ripped open and blood pooling at the floor under him. Seeing the faunus not more than a few feet from her the infected custodian snarled breaking into a sprint toward Shore her arms violently swinging in an attempt to catch him. Bringing his aura up Shore grappled with the infected planting his feet to hold off against its strength long enough for Matoi to come up behind it and slam a wrench against the back of its skull. The infected dropped to the ground an incomprehensible language of growls, snarls and whines as it tried to crawl back to its feet before Shore brought his boot down on its head killing it.

Matoi dropped the wrench and ran to the control panel for the generator, "Alright, now let's see."

Matoi moved from the control panel to the terminal in the corner, routing what power there was to the emergency systems, "Alright once we start it up we'll have enough power for both lockdown and sanitation. Are you sure?"

Sin turned to him, "Yeah, we can't risk the infection getting outside. Start it up and set a timer to give us time to find a way out."

Matoi nodded starting the generator first the noise from the turbines deafening them as they started the noise spilling out into the halls rousing every infected on the floor, their eyes flying open before they rose to their feet.

Matoi yelled over the noise, "Twenty minutes! We need to get out of here!"

Hearing that Sin started a countdown on his scroll and called to them, "Alright let's move."

Turning the first corner Sin swore seeing the infected rushing toward them, "They're coming!" he called alerting the group.


	9. Escape Part 3

_Sin stood at the edge of the lobby balcony surveying the damage with infected shuffling around on the floor below them, they had yet to notice them. A count revealed there to be sixty-four infected and almost half that in fatalities littering the floor, blood and gore everywhere. He lowered his head, the emergency shutters were closed and the sanitation protocol level two had been activated, but how would he get out before the facility was cleansed?_

Raising the pistol in his hands he fired the bullet burying itself in the infected's shoulder, but it only flinched as it kept running toward him. Bringing his aura up Sin fired another shot before running to meet them letting them swarm him as he fought back slamming their heads against the wall and getting point blank headshots to make sure they were dead. Shore charged in behind him to help fighting their way through and clearing a path for Matoi and the others to follow, but they kept coming.

Matoi yelled over the calls of the infected, "Stairway on the right!"

Shore turned kicking the door open, "Come on get in!"

Matoi went in first followed by Quartz and then Birk who forced his way past Romine with Shore and Sin moving in behind them.

Sin reached for the arm that slowed the door quickly wrapping his tie around it, "That won't hold for long, keep moving!"

The group ran up the stairs with Matoi in the lead reaching the first sub-level, not stopping to see if the infected on that level were up and about. Continuing up the stairs they heard the door below them slam open and the infected had begun chasing them up the stairs. Making it to the ground level Sin ran out the door last and along with Shore pushed over a vending machine to block the door before they kept running only for them all to freeze when they entered the lobby area.

Infected everywhere, stumbling around sitting against the walls or lying down, but they were awake, the closing shutters must have alerted them. Silently Matoi gestured to an escalator that would take them to the second floor where they could survey the area. They moved slowly, one by one to avoid making too much noise or catching their attention. Sin stayed back keeping watch, he saw one of the infected what used to be a faunus woman shuffle back and forth on her legs before lowering herself to the ground and tucking her hand under her head as if she was going to sleep.

The infected, the only semblance of humanity left in them was the way they behaved when idle. They would show signs of exhaustion, finding a spot to rest, it was a heartbreaking sight. The sickness was evident in them though, not just from the change in their appearance and temperament, but the way they behaved, while they all stumbled around aimlessly and some would give in to exhaustion and rest others would twitch in pain and even hunch over to vomit. That's all this virus was, just an advanced sickness and yet the world lived in fear of it, completely helpless until a cure could be found.

Sin moved staying low to the ground until he was behind the cover of the escalator's wall and then moving up to regroup with the others. Thankfully there were no infected on the second level none that could be seen anyway, they had probably wandered into rooms or around the corner or even fell over the edge. Either way it gave them time to stop and think of a plan.

Sin stood at the edge of the lobby balcony surveying the damage with infected shuffling around on the floor below them, they had yet to notice them. A count revealed there to be sixty-four infected and almost half that in fatalities littering the floor, blood and gore everywhere. He lowered his head, the emergency shutters were closed and the sanitation protocol level two had been activated, but how would he get out before the facility was cleansed?

"Time?" he heard Shore whisper.

"Eight minutes" Matoi replied, "There's no way we can get through the shutters and the fire escapes are magnetically sealed during lockdown."

Quartz lowered his head, "So we're going to die here then."

Sin stepped away from the railing, "Like hell we are. We're getting out of here."

Romine looked up to him from the floor, "You've thought of something?"

Sin looked at them, "There's a break room just around the corner right? With a microwave and a toaster. Shore, Matoi how many rounds do you have left?"

The two checked their guns, four each making eight plus the six in Sin's making fourteen. Sin flashed a grin telling them to follow him. Thankfully there were few infected to be encountered each of them easily and silently dispatched by the two huntsman. Taking the toaster and microwave Sin told Shore to check the nearby rooms for an extension cord as many as he could find and to meet them by the fire escape door around the corner.

Taking the appliances to the back fire escape Sin set them down and pried the microwave open first removing the wires from it and setting them to the side. Next he opened the toaster removing the heating coils and the cord attached to them. He took the guns from Matoi and Shore as well as his own unloading the remaining rounds and tying them to the heating coils and hanging it from the door handle using duct tape to make sure it was secured against the door. Taking the wires from the microwave he stripped them and wrapped them around the heating coils.

Matoi's eyes widened when he realized what the huntsman was doing, "A shape charge?"

Sin nodded, "Something I learned from a friend of mine, he loved his explosives."

"Loved?" Quartz repeated, "Past tense? Did he?"

Sin smirked, "No he's fine. Just got married and had a kid. Opted for a safer line of work, classic family man."

Plugging the microwave's cord into the extension he held the other end to Matoi, "Matoi take this and plug it in over there" he pointed at the outlet near the restroom that powered the water cooler.

Taking the cord Matoi walked over to the water cooler pushing it to the side being careful not to tip it over. Kneeling down he unplugged the cooler and plugged in the microwave, but before he could give the all clear an infected stumbled out of the restroom and grabbed hold of him from behind biting into his neck. The guard's screamed alerting the group and Sin swore rushing to Matoi's aid kicking the infected in the side knocking it off Matoi.

Grabbing the wounded guard Sin pulled him away as Shore moved in smashing the infected's head against the wall. Matoi gasped for air, his hand covering the wound on his neck his fingers hooked into claws as he bled. Sin kneeled next to him moving the guard's hand to check the wound, his carotid artery was ripped open.

"I'm sorry" Sin told him knowing there was no way to help him, even if he didn't bleed out chances were he would turn within a couple of hours.

Matoi moved his mouth, gasping for air as he tried to speak, "Go" he finally managed before his chest fell never to rise again.

Howls echoed through the hall, Matoi's screams had alerted the infected drawing them to their location. Sin looked at his scroll, four minutes until the facility was destroyed wiping out the infection with it. Between him and Shore they could hold them of until the door was blasted open, but would that give them time to escape as well? They only need thirty seconds for the microwave to run and activate the shape charge, but the infected would follow them outside, inside these close quarters they could deal with them well enough, but in an open area where they can swarmed they wouldn't last long without weapons.

Sin turned to Romine, "Romine set the microwave for thirty seconds, then find somewhere to hide with Birk and Quartz, Shore and I will hold them off. Once you hear the blast run for it and don't stop."

Sin stood up with Shore jogging to his side, "Just like old times huh?" the tiger faunus asked him, "That old temple about a mile out from Kuroyuri out in Mistral."

Sin nodded to the side, "Just you and me, exhausted from an extended assignment, out of ammo and supplies and surrounded by grimm. Feels like yesterday."

The two huntsman raised their fists the back of their hands meeting as they waited for the infected.

Sin sighed, "On you're go Mark."

The faunus grinned, "Using my first name? Think our chances are that low?"

Sin nodded, "Yep."

Shore scoffed when the first infected reached them snatching it by the neck and lifting it up hurling it at the oncoming horde knocking down several of them. Sin stepped back a heavy left hook snapping the jaw of one before he grabbed it and snapped its head to the side tossing the ragdoll body into the next one he saw. Though they killed a half dozen each the two huntsman were quickly surrounded limiting their movement space leaving them back to back as they defended each other.

"So" Shore said landing an axe handle blow on one, "How's Ivy? You two a thing yet?"

Sin ducked jabbing at an Infected's side leaving it open to a pair of hooks before kicking it away from him, "Not really the time Mark!"

The faunus laughed, "Man if we are going to die you're going to go out single, that's rough. Just be glad you're not a virgin, that'd be the worst part."

"Mark I swear to the gods" Sin yelled leaning back to avoid an infected's swing before reaching out to grab it and snap its neck.

Shore kept laughing, "What about that little girl of yours? Velvet, how's she doing?"

"She's good" Sin answered, "Her team is best of the second years. Her birthday is in three days, was going to take her and her team to dinner. You think I can mail gift cards from the afterlife?"

Shore continued laughing, "I've missed this" he killed another one before they heard the blast.

The microwave's radiation traveled down its stripped wires to the heating coils of the toaster heating the bullets tied to them before they went off at once blasting a hole through the door destroying its magnetic seal.

Down the hall in the women's restroom Romine, Quartz and Birk were hiding, they could hear the calls of the infected, but they couldn't hear either huntsman.

"How long has it been?" Quartz asked, "He said thirty seconds, it should have gone off by now."

Birk muttered, "Maybe those things unplugged it somehow. Like that idiot's plan would have worked anyway."

Romine screamed feeling something grab his ankle and pull him to the floor, the other two jumped when they saw an infected woman under the stall door holding on to Romine. Seeing it Birk turned and fled while Quartz grabbed Romine's hand trying to pull him away.

"Help me" Romine cried, "Help me!"

Quartz tried to pull him, but slipped on the floor the back of his head smacking the tiles and Romine screamed when he felt the infected's teeth bite into his leg and begin ripping his flesh apart. Romine continued to scream as Quartz crawled backwards away from him terror gripping the scientist until he turned around and ran hearing the blast of the shape charge and running for the fire escape. He continued to run until he saw Birk hiding at a corner they could hear the two huntsman fighting around the corner, they were still alive.

"Birk" Quartz gasped, "Romine he's, he's."

Birk shouted, "Who cares about him, I'm more important now shut up and let's get out of here."

One of the infected heard the lab lead shouting, turning away from the pack attacking Shore and Sin it screamed before charging at the two researchers.

Quartz panicked, "Birk behind you!"

Birk stepped forward grabbing Quartz's arm and pushing him toward the sprinting infected watching the middle-age doctor trip and the infected fall on top of him. With the monster distracted Birk ran for the open fire escape door seeing another infected running toward him. Running out the door Birk ran down the first few steps and watched as the infected behind him tumbled over the railing and fell to its death as it landed on its head.

"Hah" Birk panted, "Yeah that's right" he leaned over the railing, "Don't mess with me. I ruin people who mess with me!" he yelled not hearing a second infected running behind him.

The infected grabbed his shoulders as it ran into him, its momentum pushing both of them over the railing, both of them splattering on the concrete below.

"Jump!" Sin yelled as he and Shore ran out of the door stepping onto the escape railing and leaping off.

Their auras held as they hit, their legs tucked when they rolled, Sin the first to his feet grabbing Shore's arm and pulling the faunus to his feet as they ran, seeing Birk's body on the ground. They made it to the fence climbing onto a car and scaling the razor wire lined fence and they kept running until they heard the explosion behind them. Both huntsman ducking for cover when they heard it, the debris raining down on them. When it stopped they stood up seeing the remains of the facility in flames the two sharing another fist bump as they panted trying to catch their breaths.

"We made it" Shore said, "Survived another one."

Sin leaned against the wall, "But they didn't. Romine, Matoi, Quartz, Birk. Well I couldn't care less about Birk, but the others...that's two facilities in two days. This isn't just sabotage Mark. Someone out there is trying to release this virus and they want to get rid of anyone who can stop it."

The faunus couldn't argue, "We need to let the headmasters and councils know as well as the leads for all the labs. But hey, I'll handle all that alright, you take some time to spend with your girls alright? Both of them."

Sin leaned against his knees too busy catching his breath to say anything. There was going to be a lot of work to go around after this, the other facilities around Remnant would be scrambling to recover from this loss. The Vrede lab was the second largest in the world, and it was in flames, this could set them all back by years.

On the roof of an adjacent building two people leaned against the edge assessing the destroyed facility. The man stood a good six feet tall wearing a white suit jacket with red trims, a gray scarf around his neck and black pants, boots and gloves. A bowler hat covered most of his orange hair that flowed down curling into bangs on one side to cover his right eye.

"Well Neo?" he asked, "Do you think it was them?"

The woman next to him nodded her pale skin lightly gleaming from the setting sunlight. She stood short of five feet with half brown, half pink hair, with matching eye color. She was wearing a white jacket with pink lining on the inside and brown pants along with knee high white high hells. She smiled holding up her scroll with the picture of an amber eyed, black hair woman walking out of the facility nearly two hours before it was destroyed.

The man leaned against his cane with a grin, "Well then" he said bringing a cigar to his lips and lighting it, "We're on the right track then."

He looked down at the two who had managed to escape the lab, "Those two may know something, we'll have to find a way to talk to them."


	10. A Scared Little Girl

_Ten years ago._

A lost girl sat at the base of a tree, her knees curled to her chest and her arms wrapped around them and her long brown rabbit ears folded down as she cried. Her yellow tank top and brown shorts covered in dirt and her arms and legs riddled with minor scratches, she had tripped and rolled down a hill. Next to her a broken camera, damaged from the fall.

She tried to walk, wander around to find a way back, but only to get herself lost deeper in the woods. Her knee scrapped and bleeding gave out and she collapsed at the foot of a tree, tucking herself between its roots as the sky turned dark after the sun vanished beyond the horizon. Lost, alone, hurt and without food or water she began to cry for her parents, anyone to come find her.

She had received a camera for her birthday the week before and spent most of her time running around their town taking pictures. She saw a rabbit at the edge of the woods standing on its back legs as its from paws feet brushed over its head trying to clean itself. The faunus girl kneeled down aiming her lens at the little bunny, but before she could snap a picture it noticed her and ran off. Calling out to the little animal to come back she chased after it, running through bushes and past and between trees until she lost sight of it. Her ears fell down in disappointment and she turned around before she realized she didn't know where she was, at first she called out for anyone hoping someone was close by to hear her and she could make her way back to the town, but when no one answered she began to panic.

She tried to backtrack only to turn herself around time and time again finding herself deeper in the woods until she began smelling something, foul. Covering her nose she kept walking unsure if she was getting closer or farther from it until she pushed herself through a bush and saw it. The mutilated body of a deer laying on the ground, a large bite mark on its neck and its stomach ripped open with dried blood staining the ground below it.

She covered her mouth stumbling back until she turned and hunched over emptying her stomach from the overwhelming stench. She began crying at the sight, terrified only to freeze when she heard it. Something growled, and the birds in the trees had gone completely silent, the bushes rustled and the girl began to run.

She didn't know if whatever she heard was giving chase, but she kept going, running, fleeing as fast as her legs would take her in whatever direction she was going, her fear pushing her. Her arms pumped at her sides increasing her speed as her camera dangled from her neck secured only by its strap, she risked a glance over her shoulder to see if anything was following her, that's when it happened. Her foot caught on something and she tumbled forward and down a hill hitting rocks and branches and roots as she rolled across the ground until she crashed at the bottom.

The pain beating down on her caused her to curl up and cry even more, her hands clutching her camera to her chest until she felt something pierce and slice her skin. Looking at her hand she saw the fresh blood leaking from a cut on her palm, she noticed a piece of plastic from the camera's casing had split open and stuck out like a blade, cutting her as she hugged it. Sitting up on her knees she examined the camera realizing not only was the casing damaged, but the lens was cracked and the aperture dented no longer able to be turned. She began to cry more after that, too tired and too hurt to continue running she tried to hide herself between the roots of a tree as she cried, begging, praying someone would find and save her.

She stopped crying when she heard it, something growled and she huddled herself against the tree trunk as much as she could covering her mouth as she continued to cry and whimper. The growling only got louder and then the shrubbery around her began to rustle, then she saw them. The ghastly glowing red eyes, the flickering black mist coming from its body and the boney white spines that jutted from its back, a grimm.

The monster picked up on her scent and could hear her whimpering, its prey was close. Opening its mouth it growled as the thick black saliva dripped from its jaws as it got closer to the cowering faunus girl the scent of blood drawing it right to her. Raising its snout from the ground it turned its eyes and spotted her cowering and trapped between the trees roots and slowly it turned to face her before roaring, causing the girl to scream and close her eyes as the monster ran toward her.

The next thing she heard was a loud bang, it sounded like a gun. The sound was immediately followed by another and then a third and a fourth before she heard a yell and the grimm snarl. She opened her eyes to see the monster's back to her its red eyes focused on a man who wasn't there before.

He was wearing an expensive looking navy blue dress shirt with matching pants and black tie and shoes. His pale skin glowed a little from the moonlight and his white hair messy and unkempt. In his hand a simple handgun and in his other held across his back a staff.

The man glared at the alpha as he stepped toward it, "Get away from her" he growled.

Responding to the man's threat the grimm roared and charged forward only to be met by the end of the man's staff as it swung upward, throwing his bodyweight behind the uppercut stumbling the beast. Turning he swept the monster's feet tripping it onto it's back before pressing a switch revealing a spear tip from one end. With a yell the man impaled the beowolf through its gut pinning it to the ground as he walked around to its head being sure to stay out of its reach.

The monster growled and snarled as it struggled to get free, its eyes threatening to rip the man apart as he aimed his gun at its head and with the pull of the trigger the grimm's body fell still and silent. Leaving his spear in the ground and returning his gun to its holster on his leg the man turned to the cowering girl and walked over to her, but before he could ask if she was alright she had jumped to her feet and ran to him throwing her arms around him, crying. He got down to one knee and returned the hug rubbing one hand over her back and the other over her head comforting her.

"It's alright" he told her, "You're safe now."

The girl continued to cry into his dress shirt her tears soaking through the fabric and to the skin underneath, but he only continued to hold her until she had stopped. Seeing her state he picked her up in his arms and began carrying her, retrieving his weapon and walking through the trees back toward the nearby town. Even though he was carrying her the girl still huddled herself as close to him as she could the fatigue and trauma from her ordeal taking its toll as her eyes closed and she fell asleep in his arms.

She woke up in her bedroom, looking around in a panic wondering if it was all a bad dream until she noticed the bandages on her. Her body still sore she slid out of bed and walked toward her door stepping out into the hallway hearing people talking in the living room. Slowly descending the stairs she peeked around the corner to see her parents talking with the man who saved her, his eyes meeting hers right away.

He smiled at her, "Morning" he said making her parents turn around, "Did you sleep well?"

The girl didn't have a chance to answer before her mother and father rushed to her picking her up and asking how she felt. Still scared from what happened she buried her face in her mother's shoulder and began crying again. It wasn't long before she calmed down again sitting next to her parents on the couch as they talked with the man who saved their daughter.

It was getting late and the man stood up and stretched his arms, "It's about time I left. I've still got a job to do tomorrow."

The girl's father stood up extending his hand, "Of course, thank you again. If you ever need anything, please ask."

Shaking his hand the man merely smiled, "I'm a huntsman, it's what I do."

The girl stood up and looked at him, "T, thank you for saving me."

He smiled and kneeled down to level their eyes, "You're welcome."

The rabbit girl asked him, "What's your name?"

"Sin" he answered with a smile, "Sin Helms. I'm a huntsman from Beacon."

The girl replied, "I'm Velvet. Velvet Scarlatina."

Sin continued to smile as he held his hand out, "Nice to meet you Velvet. Those are some cute ears you've got there."

The faunus girl blushed, instead of shaking his hand she jumped at him, hugging him and the huntsman hugged her back.

"It was nice meeting you Velvet" he told her when their hug ended, "I've got to go back to the Inn now. I've got a bit of work to do here tomorrow, but I'll come see you again before I leave alright?"

By dusk the next day his job was done, the pack of grimm that had gotten too close to the town was wiped out and now it was time to prepare to return to Beacon, but first as promised he visited Velvet and her parents once more to make sure the girl was alright. The girl nearly tackled him when she saw him and he could only laugh as he pet her head. Her parents invited him to join them for dinner and before Sin could decline the invitation his stomach growled causing Velvet to giggle before she grabbed his hand and pulled him inside.

During dinner Velvet's parents told him that all their daughter talked about that day was she wanted to go to Beacon to be a huntress. Sin admitted learning to fight and protect herself would be a useful skill considering the world they live in, but the danger far outweighed any benefit. That's when Velvet told him herself, she wanted to be like the person who saved her, something Sin had no argument against.

"You'll have to learn how to use aura" he told her, "Can't be a huntress if you can't do that."

The girl's ears began to drop, but Sin smiled, "I'll teach you" he said, "I'll stay for a while longer and teach you what you need to know. After that you'll need to practice and then enroll in a combat school and if you're good enough then you can apply to Beacon or one of the other academies."

Velvet's eyes shined and with her parents approval it was set. The next few days Sin helped the girl unlock her aura and explained to her the basics of using it, how it would protect and strengthen her. He coached her through some exercises to help her manipulate her aura in minor ways and began to give her basic combat drills to get her ready. The day turned into a week and that week became two and then a month, but the new semester would soon be starting and he was still a teacher meaning he would have to return to Beacon soon.

Kneeling in front of Velvet he rubbed her head, "You've done really well Velvet, extraordinarily well."

"Do you have to go?" she asked him sadly.

He nodded, "I'm a teacher there as well" he reminded her, "But I'll come back and see you again, so until then you keep practicing alright?"

She nodded and he continued, "Oh before I go, I have something for you" reaching into the bag nearby he pulled out a new camera, a high-end model and handed it to her, "Since your last one was broken and you've done so good in your training I wanted to give you this."

The faunus girl felt tears forming behind her eyes as she jumped into his arms and wrapped hers around his neck, "Thank you."

"You're welcome Velvet" he said as he pat her back.

"Sin" Velvet's mother began after dinner had finished that night, "We have something important we'd like to ask you."

Sin smiled at her as he helped clean up, "What's on your mind Lyn?"

"Well" she said, "Scott and I were talking about it while you spent the past month teaching Velvet. We'd like you to be her godfather."

Sin nearly dropped a cup he was washing, "Come again?" he asked after catching it.

"Her godfather" Lyn repeated, "Her guardian in case something happened or we aren't around."

Velvet's father continued, "We know it's not really the traditional way of doing it, but seeing the way you worked with her and how much she's come to like you."

Sin nodded before he could finish, "Yeah. I'd like that, if" he paused to correct himself, "When she makes it to Beacon I'll be there to look after her like she was my own."

 _Beacon Academy, present time._

"Hey Team CFVY is back" a student said seeing the star second year team stepping off the bullhead.

"Velvet!" Blake called running over to her fellow faunus.

The rabbit girl looked at her, "Oh, hi Blake."

Blake asked, "What happened? Your mission was supposed to end a week ago."

Velvet shook her head, "Nothing happened, there was just" she paused, "So many of them."

Blake and her team noticed a light expression of fear in Velvet's eyes, "Are you ok?" Ruby asked her.

Velvet snapped back to reality and nodded, "Oh yes I'm fine" she gestured to her giant teammate, "I had Yatsuhashi to look out for me."

"Well, alright" Blake said, "It's good to have you back."

Velvet nodded, "Thanks, good to be back" she said before squealing when she felt something brush lightly down her spine, tickling her.

Velvet spun around, "Coco!" she gasped while blushing.

Her team leader chuckled, "Sorry Honey Bun, couldn't resist."

Velvet sighed turning back to Blake and her team, "Do any of you know if Sin has returned yet?"

Ruby nodded, "Yeah he came back a couple of days ago, but..."

Velvet noticed the way the girl's words trailed off, "What? Did something happen?"

Weiss explained, "The lab he went to had an outbreak. Somehow the grimm being kept their for research managed to get out, only Professor Sin and a friend of his managed to get out before the facility was destroyed."

Velvet covered her mouth while her teammates stood frozen at the news.

"Don't worry" Yang told the shocked girl, "He's not hurt or anything, just a little down. You should go see him, I'm sure that will cheer him up a bit."

Velvet nodded, "Y, yeah, I will. Thank you Yang, I'll see you four around."

Along with her team Velvet returned to her dorm to unpack their things and rest, but Velvet laid awake staring out the window next to her bed, unable to sleep as she felt hotter and hotter, her body itching as she began sweating.


	11. Birthday Despair

The lab's steel door slammed open, "Dammit Sin!" Ivy yelled marching over to him her heels tapping against the monolithic floor causing each step to echo.

"What now" the exhausted huntsman said.

Ivy stopped in front of his desk crossing her arms, "The hell do you mean what now? Classes for the day have ended and once again you spent the whole day in here instead of teaching."

"They had a substitute covering me" he told her.

Ivy slammed her hand on his desk, "That's not the point! Did you even realize the new day had started? How long have you been down here?"

Sin looked up at her, "I would guess I've been down here since I got back so four days."

Pinching the bridge of her nose Ivy sighed, "Velvet and her team came back from their mission last night" she told him snagging his attention from his notes, "You know her birthday was two days ago."

Sin set his pen down, "And I told her I'd be taking her and her team out to dinner and now that she's back I can do that" he checked his watch, "That gives me two hours to get some work done."

Ivy snatched the clipboard in front of him, "Not a chance. We both know if you keep working you'll lose track of time and miss the whole thing. Now get your ass out of this lab and go wash up, I'm keeping this until you tomorrow."

Sin stood up ready to demand the clipboard back, but he knew Ivy long enough to know she wasn't going to give up this time. He exhaled and agreed taking off his lab coat and draping it over his chair before leaving the lab with Ivy behind him locking the door as they left. He returned to his room in the faculty dorms to shower and change his clothes, dropping the ones he had been wearing for three days into the nearby hamper. A hot shower to relax his muscles a razor to touch up his beard and a fresh change of clothes made him feel relaxed after all that had happened, he checked his watch it was still early, but since classes were over he may as well spend time with Velvet alone before taking her and her team into the city.

In the student dorms Sin knocked on the door and waited, it was Yatsuhashi that answered.

"Professor Sin" the seven foot tall student said, "Hello."

Sin nodded, "Hello Mr. Daichi. How are you feeling?"

"I'm well sir thank you for asking" the towering student answered, "Are you looking for Velvet?"

Sin nodded, "I was hoping to spend some time with her since I missed her birthday, maybe take her and the rest of you to the city for dinner."

"That's nice of you sir" Yatsuhashi replied, "Velvet isn't here right now, I think she's around the garden, I would text her for you, but my scroll was destroyed during our mission, I'm still waiting on a replacement."

"Alright" Sin told him, "Thanks Mr. Daichi, I'll see you and your teammates later."

Approaching the academy's garden at the rear courtyard Sin spotted his goddaughter kneeling at the flower beds gazing mindlessly at them.

"Hey Velvet" he said crouching next to her, "How are you?"

She turned to him smiling, "I'm ok" she answered, "What about you? I heard what happened."

He hung his head, "Angry, frustrated, tired."

Velvet apologized, "Is there anything I can do?"

He pat her shoulder, "I'm just happy to know you're ok" he told her, "I was thinking about you the whole time I was there trying to get out."

Velvet looked back at the flowers, "You don't have to take me anywhere if you have work to do, I don't mind. I know how important it is."

She felt his hand squeeze her shoulder, "Velvet. My work is important. Even though I get caught up in it that I disappear for days at a time, it's nowhere near as important to me as you are. You're my goddaughter and I love you like you were actually mine."

Velvet's lips curved and she leaned her head against his shoulder, "I'm just glad you're ok."

He wrapped his arm around her holding her close for a time until the sun began setting. Standing up he told her to head back to her room and get her team ready and to meet him at the landing pad in thirty minutes. Kissing her forehead Sin returned to his own room in the faculty dorms to change once again, dressing himself in a navy blue dress shirt with matching pants, a black tie and black shoes, the same outfit he was wearing ten years ago when he first met Velvet. Stepping out of his room once more he adjusted his tie before hearing the door across from him open.

"Ah Glynda" he said upon seeing Glynda Goodwitch stepping out of her room, "How are you?"

She crossed her arms, "I'm fine, how about you? You missed your classes again today."

Sin shrugged, "I know."

Glynda shook her head, "If you're going to be a teacher here you cannot only teach one week out of the month, you need to be there."

Sin's gaze fell to the floor, "I know. It's just with everything that's happened I feel like I'm doing more good in my lab than in a classroom."

"I understand that" Glynda told him, "You dedicated your life to finding a cure, but you're still a huntsman and a teacher. You told Ozpin you could handle both responsibilities and yet these past two years you've been teaching less and less. If this keeps up you're going to have to choose one or the other."

Sin nodded, "I know Glynda. I'm just afraid. Afraid that every moment I spend out of my lab is a moment lost and a moment someone else could die or become one of those things and we've lost two capital facilities in two days. Labs everywhere are scrambling now to pick up the extra work, I'm no different."

She stepped toward him adjusting his collar, "So what brings you out of your lab then? You're dressed better than usual tonight."

He answered, "Velvet's birthday was two days ago. She and her team were still on their mission, but now that they're back I was going to take them to dinner."

"Right" the combat instructor answered, "Ms. Scarlatina, she's your goddaughter if I recall?"

Sin nodded, "She is, probably the only part of my life more important than my work."

"I see" Glynda answered, "Well enjoy your night, take care of her and please be sure to make your classes tomorrow."

Returning to the landing pad Sin saw Velvet and her team waiting for him. Coco was wearing her favorite outfit complete with her beret and sunglasses, while Fox was wearing a black tuxedo with a red undershirt and Yatsuhashi wore a plaid red shirt with khaki pants. Velvet's outfit stood out, something Sin would never expect her to wear. A brown dress with golden trimmings and thin shoulder straps and a new pair of shining black heels.

Velvet blushed when she saw him, "C, Coco made me where it" she told him.

Sin smiled at her embarrassment, "Relax Velvet, you look lovely."

Coco wrapped her arm around Velvet's shoulders, "Doesn't she? My fashion sense is second to none after all. Of course she looks lovely no matter what she's wearing" she pulls the faunus girl closer kissing her cheek.

Velvet's face flushed when she felt her leader's lips on her cheek, "C, Coco!" she gasped pulling away from her.

"What?" Coco asked, "I can't kiss my girlfriend now?"

Velvet blushed, "It's just, we're in public."

"Let people look" Sin told her, "It doesn't matter what anyone else thinks, the only thing that does matter is how you two feel about each other. I told you that last year didn't I?"

Velvet slowly nodded, "Sorry, it's still a little embarrassing is all."

"It's alright" Coco told her wrapping her arm around her waist, "You're still my little honey bun" she tapped her finger against the tip of Velvet's nose causing her to blush once more.

Sin chuckled before ushering them onto the waiting bullhead that would take them into the city and to the restaurant where he had booked a booth for them.

"The Eighth Heaven?" Coco nearly gasped when Sin led them to the restaurant.

"Don't sound too surprised" their teacher told her.

Coco looked at him, "This is the most expensive restaurant in the city."

Sin's eyes went wide, "I am well aware of that Ms. Adel."

Velvet turned to him as well, "Sin you don't."

He held up his finger to silence her, "I wanted to, so I did. You're worth it Velvet" the faunus looked at the ground following her godfather inside and to their table.

The walls lined with intricately decorated fish tanks each with a variety of colorful fish swimming about. The portion of the wall under the tanks painted an oak brown while the portion above the tanks an ivory white at the top of which was a ribbon pattern lining the same oak brown as the bottom half of the wall. A red carpet covered the entire floor while the booths were each lined with a rich leather. Dozens of light fixtures hung from the ceiling and at the far end of restaurant was a girl around Velvet's age playing a violin. She was wearing a perfectly pressed long black with magenta trims, her golden brown hair had a single braided bang that was dyed red hanging by her left eye.

"Isn't that Talim?" Velvet asked seeing the girl as she sat on a stool one foot propped on the side slowly swaying back and forth while she played, the music proving quite relaxing.

"She's one of the third years right?" Yatsuhashi asked, "She's the one always playing violin in the courtyard every Sunday afternoon."

"Looks like she finally booked herself a gig" Sin said, "Let's leave her to her performance" he told them waiting for the host to lead them to an empty booth.

Yatsuhashi and Fox sat on one side with Yatsuhashi against the wall while Velvet sat between Coco and Sin on the other side with Coco against the wall. A waiter arrived after a few minutes asking what they would like to drink, Yatsuhashi ordered green tea while Fox just asked for water, Coco after going over their selection of coffee beans made her choice while Velvet ordered a lavender tea and Sin asked for a mojito from the bar. The waiter left to prepare their drinks returning a few minutes later and asking if they were ready to order.

The hours ticked by and it was time to leave, "I am so glad I get paid tomorrow" Sin muttered weakly as they stepped outside.

Velvet reminded him, "You're the one who chose this place. So don't complain."

Her godfather chuckled, "By your command milady. Well did you all enjoy yourselves?"

"I know I did" Coco said leaning against Velvet's shoulder, "I got to be in a cramped space next to my special girl at a fancy restaurant."

Velvet's ears dropped a little as she blushed, "I love you to Coco, now can you stop please?"

Coco pretended to pout as she straightened herself, "Alright I'll stop, for now."

Returning to the bullhead landing they saw a girl sitting alone with a violin case at her feet waiting for the airship.

"Talim!" Velvet called to her.

The girl turned around, the same girl from the restaurant, "Oh, good evening Velvet" she smiled, "How are you?" she noticed Sin with them, "Oh, Professor Sin, good evening sir" she bowed.

"Good evening Ms. Eden" he said, "Your performance tonight was lovely."

She blushed, "Y, you were all there?"

Sin nodded, "We were. Velvet's birthday was a couple of days ago so I took them out to dinner to celebrate."

Talim looked away, "I, see. Well then, happy birthday Velvet."

The faunus girl smiled at her, "Thank you Talim, you're playing was really good. I really enjoyed it."

Talim's cheeks grew brighter, "T. Thank you" she said shyly, looking away from them.

The last bullhead of the night landed to take them back to the academy, the third-year student was quiet unless directly addressed leaving the others to talk amongst themselves. Back at Beacon the group of six stepped off and Talim carrying her violin case bowed to them before running off back to the dorms. Coco chuckled the girl's shyness reminding her of Velvet when they first met, a comment that made the faunus blush.

Outside team CFVY's room Fox bowed to Sin, "Thank you for dinner Professor."

"You're welcome Mr. Alistair" the teacher answered, "It was my pleasure, have a good night."

Yatsuhashi followed his teammates example bowing his head as well and thanking their teacher before heading back into their room leaving Velvet and Coco in the hall with Sin.

Velvet threw her arms around Sin hugging him, "Thank you Sin, for everything."

There was something different about her voice, "Hey" he said hugging her back, "Why are you talking like this is the last time we'll see each other?" he pulled away from her looking into her brown eyes, "I'll see you tomorrow in class you know, and after that the weekend."

Velvet smiled at him, "I know, I. I didn't mean it like that. I just meant. You're always there for me, ever since the night we met and since my days at Signal and my days here. You've always been there for me."

Sin placed his hands on her shoulder, "I may not be your father Velvet, but you're still my little girl, there's nothing I wouldn't do for you."

"I know" Velvet replied her eyes falling to the floor, "Thank you. Good b, night."

Velvet went into her room leaving Coco with Sin.

"She's probably still tired" Coco told him, "Our assignment really took it out of us."

Sin told her, "It's understandable, just be sure to keep an eye on each other and always be there for one another."

Coco tilted her glasses down smirking at him, "Oh I'll be sure to take real good care of her, she is my girlfriend after all."

Her professor smiled back at her, "You make her happy Coco, for that I thank you" he held out his hand.

"She'll always come first" Coco told him shaking his hand, "No matter what, I love her."

Sin thanked her once more before saying good night and leaving, heading back to his room. Closing the door behind her Coco watched Velvet step into the bathroom closing the door behind her to change, coming back out minutes later. in her sleepwear and feeling lightheaded. Returning to her bed Velvet was plagued by another night of fitful sleep, sweating and tossing and turning waking up sore and aching, unable to move so she just waited to fall asleep again.

"Velvet" Coco said shaking the faunus girl in her bed, "Hey Velvet, are you feeling alright?"

The rabbit girl's eyes opened her pillow and sheets soaked from her sweating.

"Co...co?" she muttered forcing herself to sit up noticing her sleepwear was also soaked.

"Holy" Coco gasped feeling her forehead, "Velvet, you're burning up!"

"Am I?" Velvet muttered appearing to be in a daze, "I don't feel like I am" she stood up and the room spun causing her to lose her balance and stumble into Coco's arms.

"Velvet" Coco gasped catching her, "Hey Velvet!"

The faunus girl's body had gone limp and she fainted in her leader's arm.

"Velvet!" Coco yelled once more slowly lowering her to the wooden floor hoping it would cool her off as she yelled for Yatsuhashi and Fox, that's when she noticed it.

The left legging of Velvet's pajama pants was pushed up revealing a bite mark around her ankle where the skin had started to turn a ghastly white.

"No" Coco breathed.


	12. I Love You

Coco, Fox and Yatsuhashi stood outside their dorm room while Ozpin and Goodwitch were inside checking on their teammate. A high fever caused Velvet to pass out, but she woke up after Coco sent her teammates to find help, she seemed to be more aware than before she fainted. Coco kneeled next to her, her shades concealing the tears quickly filling her eyes as she placed a wet cloth over Velvet's forehead. A bite mark from a grimm on her left leg just above her ankle and her skin had begun to change color to a ghostly white.

Fox returned with Professors Ozpin and Goodwitch who told them to vacate the room immediately while they checked on their teammate. Seeing the bite mark on her leg and her skin pigmentation changing Goodwitch covered her mouth as Ozpin hung his head. Outside the room Professor Sin rushed down the hall a one-man stampede as he juked, spun and jumped avoiding the other students sprinting for Team CFVY's room.

"Velvet!" he shouted running into the room and dropping to his knees sliding to a stop next to her, "Velvet!"

The faunus girl slowly turned her head to him, "Sin?" she asked her voice weak, "Is that you?"

He leaned down his hand cupping her cheek, "I'm here Velvet, it's me" he looked down at her leg confirming the bite for himself his eyes going wide, "No" he said his body trembling.

He slid his arms under her, lifting the faunus into his arms and carrying her to her bed, "Why did you say anything?" he asked.

"I was scared" she answered weakly.

Setting her on her bed he kneeled next to her grabbing her hand, "It'll be ok" he told her, "I'm close to finding a cure. I'm going to get you some medicine from my lab and I'll be back ok?"

He let go of her hand and stood up seeing tears forming in her eyes as she tried reaching for him, "I'll be right back" he told her running out of the room and past the group of students that had gathered.

"Sin" Velvet weakly pleaded watching him run from the room her hand still reaching out for him.

"Professor Sin?" Ruby asked seeing their teacher storm down the hall at full speed.

Weiss watched as their field medicine teacher ran past their room, "What's going on?"

"I don't know" Ruby replied, "Professor Sin just came running down the hall."

"What's all the commotion?" a voice yelled entering the hall.

A tall green-haired girl a few inches above six feet, her black shirt tucked into her azure pants while a yellow and black scarf hung from her shoulders. Her red eyes locked with Ruby's as she approached them, her black, blue and yellow stripped hat in her hand. Kayla Jade, third year and leader of Team KAKI the best of the third years.

"Well?" she asked, "I trust there is a reason for this disturbance?"

Ruby answered, "We don't know."

Weiss nodded, "Yeah, for some reason Professor Sin just came running down the halls, he looked like he was in a hurry."

Kayla studied them, "Very well" she said, "Carry on."

Team JNPR's door across from them opened and the team rushed out.

Kayla jumped back to avoid them, "No running in the halls!" she yelled as they ran to the stairs leading to the second floor.

"Please move" they heard someone call from behind them.

Professor Esperer better known as Ivy to her students was running toward them, her russet red hair trailing behind her as she ran carrying a medical kit.

"Professor Ivy!" Kayla said, "What's wrong?"

Ivy ran past them, "Just go back to your dorm Ms. Jade, tell everyone to stay in their dorms."

She to had run up the stairs to the next floor. Something was wrong, first one of their teachers came stampeding down the halls, then the members of JNPR rush up to the second floor and now Ivy as well carrying a medical kit. Ruby bolted out of her room a trail of rose petals left behind as she zoomed through the hall leaving Weiss and Kayla to call after her.

"Weiss!" Yang called running over to their room with Blake continuing past them and toward the stairs as well.

Weiss looked at her teammate, "Yang, what's going on?"

"It's Velvet" Yang replied trying to catch her breath, "Something's happened."

Outside Team CFVY's room a mass of students had gathered each of them wondering what was going on, the three professors inside too busy checking on Velvet to make them disperse. Coco, Fox and Yatsuhashi were told to wait outside, each of them leaning against the wall waiting on any word. Coco leaned against her teammates crying into her hands sobbing her girlfriend's name between breaths. Some of the students began to move as Blake and Ruby pushed themselves through stopping when they saw Coco crying between Yatsuhashi and Fox.

"Coco" Ruby said pushing her way past the two in front of her and standing next to the members of CFVY, "What happened?"

"Move!" a voice demanded before Coco could register someone was talking to her.

Sin returned pushing the students to the side carrying something with him, "I said move dammit!" he yelled surprising the students as he pushed his way through knocking a couple of them over each other.

Running into the room he pushed Ozpin and Ivy out of his way standing next to Velvet and opening a bottle in his hand shaking out a pair of pale blue pills and fishing a bottle of water from his pocket.

"Velvet" his said getting to one knee, "Swallow these" he said lifting her head and holding the pills to her.

The faunus girl turned her eyes, "Sin?" her voice was still weak and her fever had gotten worse.

"I'm here" he gasped out of breath, "These will help, take them."

Velvet let her mouth hang open and Sin turned his hand dropping the pills onto her tongue before holding the water bottle to her lips telling her to drink. Slow, short gulps some of the water escaping past her lips and running down her chin as she tried to drink from the bottle. Confirming she swallowed the medicine Sin gently set her head down and pulled another bottle from his pocket a red and yellow capsule once more handing it to her and lifting her head up so she could drink.

He panted as he watched her weakly drink from the bottle, "That's right" he gasped rubbing his against her cheek in a gentle massage, "Keep drinking, that's my girl, that's my girl."

Velvet's eyes slowly closed, "It will be ok" he whispered hugging her against his chest, "I'm close, I won't let you die. I promise you're going to be fine."

Setting her head down he stood up sliding the water bottle and the pill bottles back into his pockets, "Ivy keep an eye on her, Ozpin, Glynda get everyone back to their rooms she needs rest."

Ozpin grabbed Sin's shoulder as he turned to leave, "Sin. Can you save her? She's already changing."

He shrugged his hand off and ran out of the room once more pushing past students and stepping on the feet of those who didn't move fast enough as he sprinted down the hall and back to his lab. He was close, his latest attempt yielded promising result he just needed to confirm it and then test it, but he was out of time testing wouldn't be possible he had to use it as soon as he confirmed the results. The medicine he just gave her would bring her fever down and numb any pain she felt as well as help her rest, but they wouldn't delay the infection spreading through her. He lowered his shoulder crashing through the doors to the dorm nearly bowling over another student as he sprinted for his lab, he had to save her, nothing else mattered.

Glynda and Ozpin stepped out of the room ordering all the students back to their rooms and allowing Coco and her team back inside. The fashionista ran to the faunus' side dropping to her knees and grabbing her hand and gasping her name. Ivy stood there placing her hand on Coco's shoulder telling her to let Velvet rest for now, but Coco refused to leave her side. Grabbing the chair from the desk she pulled it next to the bed and sat down again taking Velvet's hand in hers and using her free hand to brush at Velvet's hair, massaging her forehead and temple in the process.

It had already been four hours classes for the day were canceled leaving many students to wander about. The dorms, the library, the gym, the courtyard or the cafeteria it didn't matter, the news had already spread, Velvet Scarlatina had been bitten on her team's mission and was beginning to change. Though the minutes turned to hours Coco refused to leave her side, refused to move, still holding her hand and brushing her hair with her hand, remembering the times they had with each other.

The Emerald Forest, that's where they met. It was the day of initiation for the new first years, Coco was so busy patting the dirt from her clothes that she didn't hear the boarbatusk creeping up behind her until it was too late. The grimm had curled itself into a wheel and charged at her slamming into the student's back sending her to the ground. Coco managed to turn onto her back slamming her designer bag against the monster and kick it away, but a beowolf leapt out at her its claws raking against her aura knocking her to the ground once more. Scrambling to her feet she turned to meet the monsters only to hear a battle cry from behind her and a creep was thrown through the trees before a girl dressed in brown leapt after it intercepting it in the air with a flying kick.

"Nice move" Coco told her, "I'm Coco, welcome to the party."

The girl replied, "I'm Velvet, nice to meet you."

Coco noticed the long rabbit ears the girl had and smiled, "Well I hope you can fight as good as you look" a comment that made the girl blush.

Partners from that day they made their way to the temple in the forest to find the relics their headmaster told them about.

"Chess pieces?" Velvet wondered walking over to them and picking up a black bishop, "Are these the relics we're supposed to find?" she asked.

Coco looked around, "Well I don't see anything else, might as well take that back. You ready, partner?"

Velvet smiled at her and nodded, "Yeah, let's go."

After initiation ended the school gathered in the auditorium for the announcement of the new first year teams. Ozpin stood center stage with a microphone stand next to him, coffee mug bearing the academy's and kingdom's emblem in hand and a projection screen above him. The screen showed the pictures of each student as he called them by name in groups of four before announcing presenting them to their fellow students and declaring their team name.

"Coco Adel, Velvet Scarlatina, Fox Alistair, Yatsuhashi Daichi" he said as the picture of each student appeared above him, "The four of you retrieved the black bishop pieces, from this day forth you will work together as Team CFVY. Led by, Coco Adel."

"Of course" Coco said clenching her fist in victory.

A few months after the formation of their team, "So you're friends with Professor Sin?" Coco asked her partner.

Velvet nodded, "Yes. I've known him since I was little, it's been nine years now. I wanted to become a huntress because of him."

Coco smirked, "He must be a good guy then, huntsman and a doctor. Between being a huntsman, a teacher and a doctor researching a cure for this virus I'm surprised her can juggle that much work and still appear sane."

Velvet smiled, "He's always been like that, at least for as long as I've known him. He never stops working. He'll even go for a couple of days, not stopping until he passes out at his desk."

Coco turned to her, "Really? He may want to be careful, if he doesn't get enough sleep he'll get sick."

"No he won't" Velvet replied with a smile, "Sin can't get sick. His semblance prevents it, his immune system is perfect."

"Really?" Coco answered, "Well that sounds nice. Do you think that makes him immune to the grimm virus?"

Velvet's smile dropped, "I'm not sure. He doesn't even know, he said it's possible, but the only way to find out is to try it."

"Well we don't want him doing that" Coco said, "His last name is Helms right? Why does he want us calling him by his first name?"

Velvet's smile returned, "Oh that's just how he is. He doesn't like it when people call him by his last name, he's just friendly like that."

The night of the school dance a couple of weeks before the Vytal Festival. The festival was being held at Haven this year, CFVY were given a dorm to share with the visiting teams from the other academies.

"So Velvet" Coco began watching her partner try on her dress in front of the full length mirror, "Who's the lucky guy?"

Velvet frowned a little, "I, don't have a date. How about you? I know a lot of guys were asking you."

Coco nodded to the side, "They did, a couple of girls to" she smirked when she saw Velvet's surprised expression, "But, I turned them down."

"Really?" Velvet asked, "Do you not want to go?"

"I do" Coco answered, "But the person I want to go with still isn't sure they want to go."

Velvet turned back to the mirror staring at her navy blue dress with purple trims, "I see. I was too shy to ask anyone so I'm still not entirely sure if I'm going to go."

"Well I'm still going" Coco told her, "May as well check it out if we already bought our outfits, no sense letting those go to waste."

Velvet seemed hesitant, but agreed, "Well I guess we could just spend the night hanging out."

Entering the hall where the dance would be held Coco smiled as she turned to her partner, "Well looks like the person I wanted to ask showed up after all."

Velvet's ears dropped, "Oh" she replied her nervous smile completely gone, "That's ok you go have a good time I'll be fine on my own."

She saw her leader smile at her before a yelp escaped her as she felt her hand being grabbed and Coco was pulling her toward the dance floor. Coco's dress matched her name, a thin over the shoulder strap dress with black heels while still wearing her favorite necklace, beret and aviators. Taking Velvet's other hand in hers Coco wrapped her arm around the faunus' waist and smirked when she noticed the blush on her partner's face.

"C, Coco" Velvet gasped, "What are you doing?"

"What?" Coco asked, "I told you I wasn't sure if the person I wanted to ask was going to be here, and now she is."

Velvet's cheeks grew brighter when she realized, "You, you mean" she saw Coco nod, "But we're...why me?"

Coco's smirk changed becoming a normal smile, "Because I like you Velvet. I have for a long time now."

Velvet felt her body lock up when her leader leaned forward and kissed her. The blood rushing to her cheeks making her feel faint and her mind going too fast for her to form a sentence. It took a moment for everything to register, but Velvet finally moved her eyes looking away still blushing as she confessed she liked her as well.

Coco took off her beret and aviators wiping the tears from her eyes, it had been eleven hours now, the sun had set and dinner was wrapping up. Still refusing to leave Velvet's side her teammates told her they would bring something back for both of them and Ivy had left to go check on Sin who had still not gotten back to them. Coco lifted the collar of Velvet's sleepwear seeing the skin up to the base of her neck had changed into the bone white color of the infected.

"Velvet" she gasped burying her face in her hands crying like she had been all day.

"Coco?" she heard Velvet say.

Choking back a sob Coco looked up seeing Velvet's eyes had changed as well, the one glistening brown eyes she loved had turned red, it was too late.

"I'm here" she said leaning over Velvet, "I'm here for you."

Velvet slowly sat up unable to feel the aches in her body anymore, "Why feel so hot?" she asked.

Coco noticed the slurred speech and the missing words as she spoke, the delirium had set in, "You have a fever" she told her forcing a smile to her face, "It's ok, you just need to rest and it will go away."

Slowly Velvet turned her head to her, "You're crying, why?"

"Don't worry about it" Coco said grasping her hand, "It's not important, the only thing that matters right now is you."

Velvet's breathing was slow and labored sounding more like a growl with each exhale, "I. I feel...bad" her eyes widened with realization.

The faunus girl lunged forward throwing her arms around Coco, "Please Coco. I don't. I don't want to go. Please" she was struggling to breathe with each word.

Coco held her tight, "It's ok" she cried as she held her, "It'll be ok."

"Please Coco" Velvet began crying, "I don't..."

Coco squeezed her, "Do you trust me Velvet?"

Velvet's grip weakened, "Y...yes."

Coco turned to her and kissed her holding her lips against Velvet's holding back her sobs as memories of their time together flooded her mind.

"I love you" Coco told her after breaking their kiss, "I love you Velvet."

"Coco..."

She hugged Velvet again holding her head over her shoulder right next to her own.

"Close your eyes for me Velvet" she told her, "Close your eyes and don't open them until I tell you. When you do everything will be back to normal and this will all just be a bad dream."

Velvet felt her eyes growing heavier, she couldn't keep them open if she wanted to, "I...love you...Coco..."

Fox and Yatsuhashi were walking back to their room carrying a tray of food for Coco and Velvet, team RWBY walking behind them wanting to check on their two friends.

"It will be fine" Ruby said, "Professor Sin loves Velvet, she's like a daughter to him he won't let this happen to her."

A gunshot echoed through the corridor silencing them. Fox and Yatsuhashi dropped the trays they were carrying and ran into their room standing there in shock when they saw it, Fox stumbled back into the wall while Yatsuhashi dropped to his knees and the girls of RWBY gasped.

"No" Ruby choked quickly turning to bury her face into Weiss' shoulder.

Both Velvet and Coco were slumped against each other, blood soaking their clothes as it ran from the wound in their heads, a gun hanging limply from Coco's hand. They were gone.


	13. His Little Girl

Sin stood in the doorway, frozen as he stared at the body of not only Coco, but Velvet. Coco sitting in her chair and Velvet at the edge of her bed, their bodies slumped against each other in what was a final embrace before it ended. The gun in Coco's hand made it obvious. A single bullet taking both of their lives passing through Velvet's brain first before exiting her skull and burrowing into Coco's, a merciful kill to spare her love further pain and fear, while taking her own life out of despair and guilt.

Fox and Yatsuhashi along with the members of RWBY had rushed to the room when they heard the gunshot all of them standing in place like statues when they saw it. Other students who had heard the shot had gone to investigate and all of them shared the same reaction, shock and disbelief. It wasn't until Professor Ivy returned to the room and saw that Sin had found out and sprinted back to the room. He was too late, he promised her would save her and left as she reached out for him as she cried, that was the last memory she would have of him, leaving her behind.

It had been a week, Ozpin held a funeral service for the two students where even he and the ever stoic Glynda Goodwitch had dropped their masks and shed a tear for the deceased. Two promising, beloved students who were taken unfairly. It had been a week and yet was still fresh in everyone's minds. Classes for the week were called off, even the faculty had lost the desire to deal with them instead offering a friendly ear and counseling to any student who felt they needed it.

Seven days since it had happened and in those long, dreary days no one had seen Professor Sin, he had simply vanished.

Inside RWBY's dorm Ruby sat on her bed with her knees curled up to her chest, unable to get the last image of Coco and Velvet out of her head. She stood there frozen just like everyone else who saw a single word "no" repeating in her mind over and over, it wasn't until Professor Sin pushed his way past her and the others that she was shaken from her trance and fled tears streaming from her eyes. Running into the girl's restroom she leaned against the trashcan in the corner, her back lurching as she emptied the contents of her stomach and cried.

Weiss traumatized from what she had seen retreated to a secluded area of the campus to call her sister. Winter as a specialist in the Atlas military had been sent out of many dangerous assignments and even though she always managed to return unharmed she had lost a few allies in the process. Surely if anyone would understand and talk her through this it would be her dear sister.

Blake was the only one of them to have ever see an infected person change and what becomes of them, she was thankful that Velvet was spared such a fate, but the knowledge that her friend was gone was just as bad. She remained in her team's room on her bed the covers pulled completely over her as she curled into a ball and cried herself to sleep. Not Velvet, she didn't deserve such a fate, she was too kind, too friendly, she prayed she would open her eyes and that this would turn out to be a horrifying dream.

Yang secluded herself in the academy's gym trying to work off her fear and stress though exercises. Each day she would split her time between trying to comfort her sister and comfort herself, she knew Ruby better than anyone she knew the smile her sister put on was fake hiding her fear, her pain. No matter how many times she tried to talk to Ruby she would insist that she was ok, but Yang noticed the change in her voice when she lied and the blonde brawler's frustration only grew.

Ruby sat on her bed glancing over at Blake as she slept, Weiss and Yang currently out dealing with things their own way. Ruby remembered the first time she met Velvet and Coco, after her first class under Professor Helms, the day she learned to call him by his first name. Ruby had asked Sin for help understanding one of his assignments, but he had to decline so he could focus on his other work, it was then that Ruby befriended Velvet. The faunus explained to her that Sin was a good teacher, but he had a habit of working too much giving him little to no time for anything else. Having known Sin for so long and already completed his first-year course the rabbit girl offered to help the freshman with her assignment, the day they became friends and Ruby learned of Velvet's relationship with their teacher.

"He's your godfather?" Ruby asked to which Velvet nodded.

She smiled, "He saved my life when I was a child, I got lost in the woods outside my town and was cornered by a beowolf. That's when he showed up."

Ruby's eyes sparkled, "At last second, just in the nick of time, like some kind of superhero."

Velvet chuckled, "Yes I suppose. Anyway try to be patient, he does care for his students and he is willing to help all of us, his research just takes up a lot of his time."

The next day Ruby handed in her homework to Sin and he nodded silently as he went over it, "I see Velvet helped you" he said at last, "But you did great Ms. Rose. I'm sorry I didn't have time to help you myself."

Ruby rubbed the back of her head, "Oh it's ok, she told me how busy you are outside of class, I completely understand."

Sin set the completed assignment down, "I'll try to make time for you in the future should you need any further help."

"Oh you don't have to" Ruby told him, "Your work into finding a cure is much more important."

Sin shook his head, "No, as your teacher it's my job and as a friend of your mother's it's my pleasure."

Ruby paused unsure if she heard him correctly, "You" she began meeting his gaze, "You knew my mom?"

He nodded, "Summer was a good friend of mine" he smiled, "And you look just like her Ruby, well a little shorter of course."

Ruby looked at the floor blushing lightly, "Ca...Can you tell me about her? Yang only remembers a little bit about her and dad and uncle Qrow won't talk about her for long."

Sin stared at the ceiling, "She was without a doubt the nicest person I had ever met, and the most beautiful. The only person as close to me as Ivy was. She was the leader of her team as well, Summer Rose, Taiyang Xiao Long, Raven and Qrow Branwen. I was friend with all of them, but Summer. She was something else, someone truly special."

He pat her shoulder, "You really do look just like her" he smiled, "I know she'd be proud of you."

Ruby never forgot those words, she and Yang often went to Sin to hear more about her and he would gladly tell them stories of not just Summer, but also her team while they were students and after they graduated. Much like their dad and uncle Sin was clearly sad as he reminisced about their mother, but unlike their father and uncle he wouldn't stop talking about her. Through him they learned things about her that even Taiyang and Qrow didn't tell them, how Summer's grades were below average throughout her years at Beacon, but her combat abilities were always near the top.

"No one made cookies like Summer did" Sin chuckled, "She never shared her secret with anyone though."

There was one thing Ruby wanted to know about her mother more than anything, the thing that haunted her for as long as she could remember, but she was too afraid to ask. _What happened to my mom? How did she die?_

Ruby had come to know Professor Sin almost as well as Velvet had which is how she knew that as bad as the situation was as sad as they all were she knew no one was taking it as hard as Professor Sin, wherever he was.

"No one knows where Professor Sin is either" Yang had told them earlier that day, "It's like he just disappeared."

Weiss asked, "Has anyone checked his lab?"

Yang nodded, "Apparently Professor Ozpin has a key to it as well, but when they went to check he wasn't there and the last time the door was unlocked was the day Velvet..." she paused not wanting to mention it.

Weiss said, "I can't begin to imagine how hard this must be for him. He loved Velvet as if she was his daughter."

Yang sat at the corner desk, "I asked Professor Ivy according to her she checked the local bars, but couldn't find him."

Blake finally spoke up, "How is she holding up?"

Yang shook her head, "I think at this point she's more worried about Professor Sin than anything, even Ozpin and Goodwitch are worried."

They weren't the only ones, as the day progressed Ruby could only think about their missing teacher knowing he was out there somewhere grieving and wishing she could help him. She got to her feet and looked outside the window down at the courtyard wondering to herself where he could have gone. Taking one last look at Blake as she slept Ruby quietly exited the room going for a walk around campus. At the northern most end of the academy's garden was the memorial wall where the names of Beacon's deceased staff and unfortunately some students current and former were engraved into a shining black wall the latest entries Velvet Scarlatina and Coco Adel.

Over a thousand names inscribed on the wall in the fifty years since its construction, ten years after Beacon was first built. Walking over to the wall and touching her hand to their names she lowered herself to her knees feeling her throat close up and her chest tighten. It wasn't just Velvet's or Coco's name that was on there, she memorized the spot, the exact line and column her other hand slowly gliding along the wall until the tips of her fingers came to rest on another name. _Summer Rose_.

Ruby clenched her eyes closed leaning her head against the wall, after what happened to Velvet she began thinking, what if that happened to her mother. What if Summer Rose died because she had become infected and turned into a mindless monster. She cried against the wall, asking her mother what she should do, how to make things better or at least less of a nightmare.

"Mom" she sobbed, "What should I do?"

She cried, for how long she didn't know, but she kept crying for her lost friend and the memory of her mother and the sadness and pain that she was left with. A gentle hand on her shoulder interrupted her, her red cracked silver eyes looking up to see Professor Ivy smiling down at her handing her a handkerchief. She kneeled down next to Ruby, silently rubbing her back as she wiped her eyes and leaned her head against Ivy's shoulder.

"I miss them to Ruby" Ivy told her after the girl had calmed down, "Summer was a good friend and I always looked at Velvet as a little sister, this world is lesser without them."

Ruby asked, "Why did it have to be Velvet?"

Ivy answered softly, "I honestly don't know."

Ruby sniffled, "And Coco..."

Ivy hugged her, "One day Ruby. One day everything will be ok. One day we'll see a world where this infection doesn't exist anymore and the grimm are wiped out. Until then all we can do is remember what they meant to us and carry on."

Ruby hugged her, "What about Professor Sin?"

"I wish I knew" Ivy answered, unsure of where her childhood friend had gone, the only thing she did know was that he was grieving more than any of them.

After another hour Ivy walked Ruby back to her dorm saying goodnight with one last hug. The young huntress' sleep was plagued by nightmares, seeing an infected Velvet staring at her, following her dragging Coco's dead body behind her, both of them covered in blood as Velvet reached out for her. Ruby reached for her weapon to defend herself only to realize it was gone and the grimm Velvet was getting closer. Planting her back against the wall Ruby begged, pleaded and cried for Velvet to stay back to not come any closer as she screamed for someone to help her, but all she heard was the groans coming from Velvet as she shuffled ever closer. Sliding down to the floor Ruby covered her head as her friend loomed over her, Velvet's ghastly white hand reached for her.

"Velvet!" she screamed shooting up from her bed breathing heavily.

Ruby looked around her room, her teammates were gone, presumably at breakfast considering the hour. Sliding out of her bed and changing into her usual outfit she stepped outside, not feeling hungry so she decided to walk around again. Outside the classroom building she ran into Ivy who greeted her, asking if she slept well.

Ruby looked at the ground and shook her head, "I, had a nightmare. I saw Velvet, she was. One of them, and she was chasing me."

Ivy grabbed the back of the girl's shoulder, "I'm going to check Sin's lab to see if he came back, want to come with me?"

Ruby asked, "Isn't it off limits to students?"

Ivy answered, "Normally, but we'll make an exception this time. Come on."

Ivy leads Ruby to Beacon tower, the top floor of which was the headmaster's office, but the basement where only the staff were allowed to go was where Sin's personal lab was located. The elevator that normally went up instead went down, a thirty second descent that ended at a steel walled corridor leading to a single heavy door. Ruby stood in front of the door with Ivy, imagining what the inside must look like, dozens of desks littered with test tubes and beakers, microscopes and research notes with a pen of tranquilized grimm in the back. Ivy typed the code into the door and the lock disengaged, a loud hiss greeting them as the air tight seal was moved and Ivy pushed the door open revealing a ransacked room.

Cabinets were overturned, papers and equipment strewn about while shards of glass littered the floor. A torn up lab coat hung from the broken door of the supply closet the shelves of which were ripped from the wall and its contents spilled onto the floor. The entire room looked like a tornado had been through destroying everything in its path.

"What happened here?" Ruby asked before noticing movement by a corner desk, "Professor Sin!"

Ivy followed Ruby finding her friend huddled in the corner surrounded by liquor bottles, his clothes filthy and the strong scent of alcohol on his breath with each exhale.

"Sin?" Ivy gasped.

Slowly he looked up, "Ivy" he muttered before seeing Ruby next to her his eyes shifting, "S, Summer?"

Ruby kneeled down ignoring the stench on his breath, "Professor Sin, it's me, Ruby Rose."

His lips weakly curved into a drunken grin, "Summer..." he said, "First you and now..." he looked down at his hand, a framed picture of him and Velvet when she had completed her initiation into Beacon.

His shoulders jumped as he began crying, "Velvet...Velvet" he leaned to the side lowering himself to the floor hugging the picture against his chest as he drunkenly cried over his favorite student, his friend, his goddaughter, his little girl.


	14. The Fallen

Two weeks. It had been fourteen days since the tragedy that ended with two of Beacons star students losing their lives. Coco Adel and Velvet Scarlatina were gone, the latter being infected by the grimm and began changing and the former unwilling to live without her took her own life at the same time. The atmosphere of the academy changed, students and staff alike had no desire to do their classes or any work, especially Velvet's godfather, Sin Helms. The huntsman who doubled as a teacher and doctor, the man who would lock himself in his private lab for days at a time to research a cure for this virus, he had vanished after Velvet's death being found several days later in his lab which he had all, but destroyed.

Ruby and Professor Ivy had found him in the corner huddled between a cabinet and the wall over a dozen liquor bottles around him and crying as he clutched a picture of his little girl to his chest. Ivy carried him from the lab along with Ruby taking him back to his room in the faculty dorms before informing Ozpin and Goodwitch, no surprise to any of them he was suffering more than anyone. The next week dragged by after the first few days Sin finally left his room and returned to his lab his feet dragging across the floor like a zombie as he walked to his desk, the note he spent a month compiling and going over ripped apart and burned, the computer he used to store his findings destroyed with a desk drawer sticking out of it.

He sat at his desk taking hold of a clipboard and scanning over it, his own handwriting and notes appearing as a foreign language to him now. Setting it down he opened the bottom drawer fishing out an unopened bottle of vodka using the cap as a shot glass as he poured his first and downed it followed by a second. Five shots later and he set the bottle aside taking hold of a pen and a new sheet of paper.

He looked up when he saw a hand waving in front of his eyes, Ivy standing in front of him along with Glynda and Ozpin each of them harboring a worried expression. They looked at the paper he was writing on, twelve hours and he didn't even finish a single sheet worth of notes, normally in a single hour he would have dozens written and set to the side and yet, half a day and he hadn't finished one. The state of his lab, the pace of his work, the liquor next to him and the look in his eyes, broken and lost.

Goodwitch was the first to break the silence, "Sin" she began walking around the desk next to him, "I can't begin to imagine how terrible this is for you. I know you're hurting and feel lost, but we're here for you. You don't have to be alone in this."

Sin never answered, instead he lowered his eyes to the picture of Velvet on his desk and again began crying.

"It'll be ok Sin" Ivy told him taking the side opposite of Glynda, "I don't know when, but one day it will be."

The remainder of the week Sin stayed in his room with Ozpin, Glynda and Ivy rotating hours to check on him when not attending their other duties at the academy. He sat at the half-circle couch in his room a half filled whiskey glass in one hand and wrapped in a grey blanket, his eyes red and cracked and his expression, nothing. It didn't matter who came to check on him, Ozpin, Glynda or Ivy he wouldn't talk would barely react to their presence, the only time he moved was to refill his glass or use the restroom.

Ivy arrived and Ozpin got up to leave, "Thank you Ivy" the headmaster said, "I'm sorry I could not stay longer, but there's an assignment I must hand out, there's trouble in one of the towns to the south."

"It's alright" Ivy replied, "We still have a job to do, you more than the rest of us."

Ozpin wished her luck and returned to his office to find eight students waiting for him. A third-year team and a first-year team.

"Thank you all for coming" he said walking over to his desk, "A town in the south, Torch is requesting immediate emergency aid. A rather large horde of grimm has been spotted and local authorities are not equipped to deal with their number so I'll be sending you to assist them. Team CRDL, Team KAKI, you will leave at once and assist in the evacuation."

Kayla Jade, the leader of the star third-year team nodded, "Yes sir."

Kayla turned on her heel ordering her team back to their room to pack before heading for the bullhead to meet up with CRDL. Kayla Jade, Alex Branwen, Kylie Mauve and Talim Isabelle Eden, Team KAKI. From the day they were brought together they were unstoppable, becoming the number one team amongst the first-year and when their second year began they secured their place once more as the best even giving several third and fourth-year teams a run for their money.

Kayla stretched before tucking her black shirt into her blue jeans and draping her yellow scarf from her shoulder, "Ready?" she asked her team flipping her black, blue and yellow hat in her hand.

Kayla Jade, born to an upper-middle class family she could have had almost anything she wanted, but instead she chose to become a huntress. Training herself day by day until she finally made it to Beacon and was ready to take down the monsters that tainted their world. A tall girl standing just over six feet she boasted superior strength over most, but her upbringing, and success left her confident in herself often thinking herself above others with the exception of the few that managed to prove themselves worth her time and energy.

"Ready" Alex answered sliding his katana through his belt and his pistol into its holster. His red armor with black highlights securely fastened he pulled at the edge of his gloves tightening them as he tapped his dark brown boots on the ground, "Let's get this done with."

Alex Branwen, originally from Mistral before his family moved to Vale both of his parents had graduated from Haven academy becoming accomplished hunters, but when he was six the town they lived in was attacked by the grimm leaving both of his parents and a dozen others dead. Alex himself nearly died that day had it not been for a woman with long dark hair dressed in a shallow cut black and red dress saved his life. He watched from his hiding spot as the woman single-handedly wiped out the attacking grimm and saving him. Seeing the cowering boy she took him in adopting him and teaching him how to survive. Three years ago he left to enroll at Beacon thanking his adoptive mother for everything before leaving.

Kayla looked at their other teammates, "Kylie, Talim, you two ready?"

Kylie nodded, "I am" sliding her arms into her sleeveless purple dress with white and yellow trims. She wrapped a yellow scarf much like Kayla's around her neck and titled her head to the side with a smile.

Kylie Mauve, like Alex she was originally from Mistral, for most of her youth it was just her and her mother Alice, her father dying before she was born. Everyone always had the same first impression when they met Kylie, she was the shy, bubbly girl from down the street, but that impression was shattered when they learned what a short fuse the girl had. She was nice and friendly sure, but it did not take much to upset her and pray for those who did.

The last girl nodded, "I, I'm ready as well" she answered finishing the laces to her shoes and securing the strap to her armor. A full black body suit with red shoulder and shin guards.

Talim Eden, as friendly and polite as they come, but surprisingly shy even around her own friends. Her parents had graduated from Beacon and she wanted nothing more than to be like them. No one would know it by looking at her, but she was a faunus, a jaguar faunus. A secret she kept even from her own team, afraid that others would look down on or make fun of her. While other faunus had animal ears, or a tail or even claws, she had none of those, instead she had fangs and from her personal experience a powerful bite, another reason she hid her faunus traits not wanting to be seen as a bloodthirsty animal.

Kayla nodded and ordered her team out the door and to the landing pad where they would meet with Team CRDL. None of them were looking forward to working alongside Cardin Winchester and his team, they were known bullies, but they were also inexperienced and would likely just get in the way. The four male students were already waiting for them, making jokes and testing each other's strength until they saw the third-years walking toward them.

Cardin scoffed, "Took you long enough. Any longer and we would have left without you."

"And died" Kayla told him, "Let's go ahead and get this straight and out of the way, my team are the seniors here and as the leader I call the shots, you and your team will do what I say when I say, is that understood?"

Cardin huffed, "Whatever, keep telling yourself that."

Kylie stood between them, "Come on you two we can discuss this on the airship we need to hurry."

Kayla regarded Cardin with a disgusted expression, the boy was not worth her time. As the eight of them loaded onto the bullhead she spoke up once again.

"Here's the deal. Primary goal is evacuation get everyone to safety, if the grimm do show up CRDL will continue getting people clear while we fan out and engage the grimm."

"Oh yeah sure" Sky Lark said, "Take all the glory for yourselves while leaving us with the grunt work."

"You're first-years" Alex said crossing his arms and leaning against the wall, "You lack the experience to take on this number of enemies, if you tried best case scenario you make it back with some broken bones, worst case you die."

Russel said, "And I suppose you think you'll make it through just fine being the oh so powerful Team KAKI."

"We have experience" Kylie told him, "And no offense, but our team coordination is a lot better than yours. From what I've seen your team struggled against a single opponent you often got in each other's way."

"Maybe we're just not afraid to go in swinging" Cardin said, "Like men, but I wouldn't expect any of you to understand that."

Alex spoke up again, "You know what happens to people who rush in? They die, the ones that don't wish they did. As Kayla said your team will handle the evacuation if the grimm show up, if that's going to be a problem you can stay on the ship and we'll handle this ourselves."

Kayla looked behind her, Talim was adjusting her violin, "You ok?" she asked her.

"The strings are just loose" Talim answered quietly without looking at her, "I need to tighten them to make sure I shoot straight."

Kayla kneeled next to her, "You're so cute when you get focused like that" she said running her finger down her teammate's spine.

Talim shivered and raised her shoulders to hide her face, "Ka, Kayla now isn't the time for that."

Her leader chuckled as she stood up to sit next to the rest of their team. Two hours later and they landed at the town, where other ships were landing along with them.

The town's sheriff greeted them, "You must be the students from Beacon. I'm Enrico Briggs, sheriff of Torch."

"Nice to meet you sir" Alex said, "How does it all look so far?"

"Follow me" he said leading them to the ridge overlooking the town and surrounding forest, "The grimm first started appearing a few days ago, just a few of them at first nothing my men and I couldn't handle, but then more of them started showing up enough to exhaust all of our weapons and ammo and we wouldn't even put a dent in their numbers, that's when we sent word to the council and Beacon. At first they were just wondering about, but they've slowly been getting closer so I told the mayor to get ready for a full evacuation while our help, you guys would wipe them out. The ships are here so we're going to start loading people into them, but in the event those monsters get too close I'm going to need you to engage and keep them at bay until everyone is safely in the air."

Alex nodded, "We can do that. Should the grimm show up Cardin and his team will keep helping with the evacuation while my team and I fend off the enemy."

Briggs nodded before his scroll rang, "Yes Wedge?"

"Sir!" the deputy's voice shouted, "They're coming! Dozens of them" gunshots echoed and they saw birds flying from the trees in the forest, "Even more than we thought, we need to get everyone out now before..." a roar and grunt followed by the sound of the scroll dropping to the ground.

"No, no no!" they heard Wedge yelled before screaming in pain.

"Wedge!" Briggs yelled only to hear his deputy's screams devolve into gargles and then silence, "Dammit!"

"No time" Kayla told him, "We need to get everyone out, signal the evacuation to start."

"But the other ships aren't here yet" Briggs told her.

"Then use the one we came on" Kayla told him, "We need to start getting people out now."

They returned to the town and Briggs rang the town bell signaling everyone to come to the square to begin evacuating, following the orders from the sheriff and the eight hunters. Alex took to the town's perimeter with Talim he would keep watch for the grimm while she searched for anyone left behind. Many of the homes and shops had been boarded up, they doubted anyone would still be there, but they had to be sure.

"They're here!" Alex called seeing movement in the tree line drawing his pistol, "Call Kayla and Kylie."

Receiving the call Kayla and Kylie quickly joined their teammates spreading out within six meters of each other to engage the grimm. The airships weren't coming fast enough, the grimm had entered the town and not even half the population had been evacuated yet, if any managed to get past KAKI then it would be up to CRDL and the sheriff and his men to fight them off.

"Cardin" Alex yelled into his scroll as he evaded a beowolf, "How's it coming?"

"Half done" Cardin answered annoyed by his assignment, "This is so boring, if you're having that much trouble maybe we should just switch places."

"No" Alex told him, "You stay with the townspeople and get them to safety, we'll handle the grimm here. You are only to engage if any make it past us."

"Tch" Cardin sucked his teeth before lowering his scroll and watching as his team directed the townspeople into different lines as they waited for the next bullhead to arrive.

"Grimm!" someone yelled pointing to their flank, a group of grimm had appeared from the other side of the forest going around KAKI and heading straight for them.

"Everyone stay calm!" Briggs yelled before looking at Cardin, "We'll handle this, keep those things off us."

"I don't take orders from you" Cardin shouted grabbing hold of his mace and rushing in along with his team.

His backhand swing connected with the beowolf's head knocking it to the ground leaving it open for an overhead swing that crushed its skull, "Hah! Not so tough now are you?" Cardin taunted before turning to face the rest of the grimm only to see more coming from the forest, dozens upon dozens of them.

He froze seeing their numbers, appearing from the tree line one after the other, twenty, thirty, forty, fifty, more and more kept coming. Dove turned to him asking what they should do, but the thought never formed in Cardin's mind before he heard Russel screaming. He was surrounded and forced to the ground by a charging boarbatusk leaving him prone and defenseless as an ursa major loomed over him its claws coming down damaging his aura one after the other. Russel could only scream for help from his team before his aura was depleted and the next claw swipe ripped his hoodie and shirt and sliced at the flesh beneath. Russel's final screams were silenced as the ursa major's heavy paws crushed his chest preventing him from breathing any further.

"Russel!" Sky yelled before the ground beneath him rumbled tossing him off his feet seconds before a king taijitu erupted from the ground.

"Dove, Cardin!" Sky screamed getting to his feet and running toward his team only for the giant serpent grimm to lunge down and snatch him in its jaws swallowing him whole.

"Cardin!" Dove yelled shaking his leader, "Cardin!" the grimm got closer and panic became fear as Dove took one last look at Cardin before turning his back and running for the airship.

Finally out of his trance Cardin followed suit turning tail and sprinting back toward the ship leading the grimm right towards the townspeople. Fear, primal fear caused him to run faster catching up to his last remaining teammate and running past him toward the airship at the same time KAKI had returned to help. Seeing only Cardin and Dove, Kayla concluded the other two didn't make it and ordered them to stay with the townspeople while her team distracted the grimm.

The third-year students danced across the battlefield expertly dodging the grimm and striking back with lethal blows dispatching them one at a time while staying close enough to cover each other. A vicious uppercut swing from Alex's katana split a beowolf in half giving him room to draw his gun and fire at the next one keeping it distracted long enough for Talim to load her crossbow and fire a bolt into its head killing it before ducking and spinning her crossbow turning into a sword and shield to block an ursa's swipe. Holding the ursa at bay Talim angled her sword and shifted stabbing the monster's throat killing it as she pulled the blade out shifting her weapon back to its ranged mode and firing another bolt at a boarbatusk that was charging Kayla stunning it long enough for her leader to finish it off.

Kayla turned bringing her great sword down decapitating the grimm, shifting her grip and planting her feet as she pivoted swinging the blade out it a wide arc cleaving a pair of beowolves in half before she stopped. Pressing a switch at the hilt of her sword the blade segmented, the once smooth surface was now serrated and began rotating before she jumped and brought the spinning blade down on an alpha the sword's spinning teeth ripping through it bit by bit until its body was cut from shoulder to waist. Turning she held her sword up to block another strike, pushing it away and cleaving the attacking monster into bits.

Kylie leapt over her target pulling a hilt from her belt with a near transparent blade which was soon engulfed in flames before she attacked, her strike cutting the grimm and igniting it before she kicked it away and turned. The blade's flames died out replaced by a ghostly blue glow, making her next strike she cut along a beowolf's arm encasing it in ice, freezing it to the ground leaving it open to a follow up. Pulling her sword back the blue glow vanished like the flames before it and was replaced by arcing electricity and the sword was driven through the grimm's stomach electrocuting it from the inside, the smoldering body dropped after the sword was removed.

The final airship arrived and landed and the townspeople began rushing up the ramp, but a shadow engulfed the area and a loud shriek pierced the air as a large nevermore swooped down. The people ducked except for Dove who was too focused on running up the ship's ramp to hide himself. In the open and no cover to hide behind the avian grimm snatched him in its talons and carried him off raising its caught prey to its beak which snapped shut around his head before ripping it from his shoulders with a single pull.

Seeing his last teammates carried away Cardin's fear and turned to terror and he began forcing his way through the crowd of people, still at the rear of the group, but determined to get on the ship where it was safe. Trying to force his way through the crowd Cardin finally makes it to the top of the ramp only for a griffon to swoop down and tackle him, the grimm dug its claws into the ground sliding to a stop as Cardin rolled away from it the momentum from the hit carrying him. Getting up to one knee Cardin trembled as he laid eyes on the grimm slowly advancing on him, its wings flapping one last time before it roared and leapt at him pinning him to the ground with its clawed feet its beak clamping down at the center of his throat ripping it open.

The griffon felt something slam into the back of its next and roared before dozens of serrated teeth tore through its neck removing its head. As the griffon's body collapsed Kayla looked under it seeing Cardin dead, the life gone from his still open eyes as the blood pooled beneath him, his gored trachea clearly visible. Turning off her chainsaw sword Kayla turned back and yelled for her team to retreat rushing to help the last of the townspeople onto the bullhead.

The ramp retracted and the door closed once the members of KAKI were onboard and the ship took off just in time as the grimm horde flooded the spot where the ship was resting. The townspeople were all safe save for a couple of deputies, but Cardin and his team didn't make it. The bullhead landed in the city of Vale where the evacuated population would be taken care of until their town could be reclaimed, meanwhile Kayla and her team had to return to Beacon and give Ozpin their report.

"CRDL didn't make it" Kayla told the headmaster, "They're dead."

Ozpin hung his head, locking his hands together in front of him, "I see" he said with a heavy exhale, "I thank you for your hard work Ms. Jade, you and your team can return to your dorm now, you deserve a rest after today."


	15. Summer Rose Part 1

_"Another week another name"_ that was becoming a saying around Beacon. It started three weeks ago now when Coco Adel and Velvet Scarlatina died and their names added to the memorial wall, and last week Team CRDL was wiped out during an evacuation assignment, their names also added to the wall. _"Another week, another name."_

The following week saw two other names added to the wall, thankfully not students, but professional huntsmen who had attended Beacon in the past. Another funeral service was held, one for the members of CRDL, none of the students cared for them or liked them they were bullies, but, did they deserve such a fate? The members of Team KAKI, the best team out of the third years were sent of the same assignment that CRDL died on, but they returned without a scratch, each of the star students remained quiet on the subject choosing to not relive it. Like their fellow students they cared little for Cardin and his team, but such a death was not something they would wish on anyone, Alex secluded himself in the gym while Kylie slept and Kayla passed the time by reading and Talim a creature of habit practiced her violin in solitude.

As usual classes were cancelled following the deaths of the four students, but since so many days had already been called off the mourning period would only last a day instead of the week. The atmosphere of the school had changed, even when the sun was shining unobstructed the air around Beacon felt gloomy and dark like the energy and life had been sucked out. Dust classes were now being taught by Ozpin allowing Ivy to once again take over teaching the Field Medicine classes while Sin was still locked away in his lab. The once proud doctor and teacher had fallen into a deep depression after the loss of Velvet Scarlatina and he had still not recovered locking himself fully in his lab now and when not working he was drinking, trying to drown his pain. Due to his understandable circumstances Ozpin thought it wise to allow Sin to take time off, away from teaching and allow him time to grieve as much as he wanted.

The virologist yelled as he slammed his hands against his desk throwing everything off of it, another test ending in failure and another theory on a cure down the drain.

"Dammit" he yelled pounding his fist against the steel desk, "Dammit" he repeated his words devolving into sobs.

He collapsed against his desk his forehead meeting the cold steel as he folded his arms around his head, "It's not possible" he sobbed, "There is no cure...Summer, Velvet, I'm sorry."

The lab door opened before Ivy entered finding Sin passed out against his desk the noticeable scent of whiskey on his breath. She came by to check on him once a day in shifts along with Ozpin and Goodwitch and at least once a day he found in a similar state black out drunk or nearly passed out in a room that looked like a hurricane had gone through it. His clothes stained from sweat and his fingertips covered in paper cuts, he himself reeked from not bathing in over a week and judging by the state of the lab's refrigerator, he had barely eaten at all.

"Dammit, Sin" Ivy said calling Ozpin and Glynda for help, "You can't keep doing this to yourself."

When the headmaster and combat instructor arrived the three of them carried their wasting colleague back to his room in the faculty dorms where Ivy would watch over him and try to clean him up. Sitting Sin in a corner chair she left returning with a large bucket filled with hot water and several towels using a sponge to clean him up as best she could. A razor and scissors to trim his beard back to its normal style and finally she started to undress him, putting new clothes on him and lifting him up and carrying him over to his bed setting him down one last time.

After laying him down she pulled the blanket over him, "I know you're still hurting Sin" she said to him stroking his hair, "But you can't keep doing this to yourself. You need to find a way to carry on no matter how painful it is."

Kissing his forehead she stood up, gathering his dirty clothes and placing them in the laundry hamper, to avoid disturbing him she would take the clothes to her room to have them clean.

"Sleep well" she said to him closing the door behind her.

"Professor Ivy" the familiar voice of one of her favorite students said from behind her.

There stood Ruby Rose, as bright as ever, smiling with her shining silver eyes.

"Hello Ruby" Ivy greeted returning her smile, "How are you?" she asked before seeing the plastic container in Ruby's hands, "What's that?"

"Cookies" Ruby admitted with a shy smile, "I know I'm not as good as my mom was, but I had dad send me the recipe. I wanted to make them for Professor Sin, I want him to feel better."

Ivy smiled, "He's sleeping right now, but. I'll let you in, just set them down somewhere and close the door behind you ok?"

Ruby nodded, "Yeah, I won't disturb him."

Opening the door for Ruby, Ivy returned to her own room to start on her friend's laundry while the huntress-in-training entered her teacher's room. Seeing Sin sleeping Ruby felt her heart sink, she could smell the alcohol on his breath a scent she knew all too well from her uncle. Setting the container down on the nightstand she walked over to him, even in his drunken sleep the expression of pain was still evident, he was still in mourning.

"I'm sorry Professor" she said her hand stroking his hair just like her dad, her uncle and her sister did to her when she was little and sad, "I'm sorry you lost her, I know how much she meant to you, but please. Try to get better, for her."

She prepared to leave when he turned over his eyes opening with a low groan, "Summer?" he muttered when he saw her, "You're back?"

"No" Ruby replied, "Professor Sin it's me, Ruby."

Sin sat up his arms clumsily wrapping around her, "Summer" he said again holding her close, "I need you. I need your help, I don't know what to do. I'm lost without her, I need you to come back."

Ruby struggled against his hug, "Professor Sin I..." she paused when she felt his shoulders jump, and heard his sobs, he was crying again.

Slowly she brought her arms up returning his embrace, "Sin" she said deciding to go along with his confusion, "You need to get better. I know it hurts, I know it hurts more than can be described, but you need to keep going. Not just for Velvet, but for the people who are still with us, this world still needs you."

She pulled back and looked into his eyes, "So please, pull yourself together, for her. And for me."

She kissed his forehead, which proved to be a mistake as he leaned his head back causing their lips to meet. Quickly Ruby stepped back in surprise her eyes wide as she looked at Sin who was now staring at the floor.

Tears continued to drop from his eyes, "I still love you Summer."

Reclaiming her train of thought Ruby told him, "Get some more rest Sin. And when you wake up pull yourself together, because without you this world is lost, do it for me, please."

Watching her teacher's eyes slowly close only to open again she gently pushed him down onto his bed, "Get some sleep" she told him, "There will be some cookies for you when you wake up."

That's when she saw him smile, "Your cookies were always the best" he said as his head met his pillow, "I love you."

When he passed out again Ruby took a moment to compose herself before quickly leaving the room and running to Professor Ivy's, explaining everything that happened.

"I see" Ivy said when Ruby finished, "Sorry you had to deal with that."

"Professor Ivy" Ruby began nervously, "I need to know. Does Professor Sin know what happened to my mother?"

"Yes" Ivy admitted, "He was with her on her final mission, and he was with her when she died."

Ruby asked, "What happened to her?"

Ivy shook her head, "I don't know. Only Sin and your uncle do. They were with her when it happened and neither of them would talk about it. They still won't."

Ruby's gaze fell to the floor, "He said he loved me, when he thought I was my mom. Did he?"

Ivy nodded, "He loved your mother, she was his first crush and his first girlfriend. He did everything he could to win her over, to get her to agree to just one date and eventually she agreed and that was it. She ended up enjoying his company and they started spending time together, it wasn't long before they started dating."

Ruby looked at her again, "What happened between them?"

Ivy's smile changed, one of melancholy, "Your aunt disappeared. After Raven vanished, your father was" she hesitated, trying to think of the right words, "He was depressed" she finished unable to think of a better way to describe it, "He felt lost without her. He still continued to look after your sister, but he wasn't taking care of himself, in a way kind of like Sin is right now and Summer, she was there to help Tai through it. At the time Sin was stationed at a lab in Anima, he told her do whatever it takes to help Tai through it, even if it means replacing Raven which would mean leaving him."

She watched the way Ruby's expression changed with that, "Sin has always been a selfless person. Even back then he would give up a chance at his own happiness if it meant helping someone else, especially a friend, like your father. I remember Summer saying it was one of the hardest decisions she ever had to make, but she knew if she didn't stay with your father he likely would have wasted away and Yang, there's no telling what would have happened. So Summer decided to remain with Tai, they got married and you were born after."

Ivy's smile remained, but it was clear that it was not a good memory, "Even after that Sin still loved your mother" she chuckled, "He was hopelessly in love with her, so much that after you were born he claimed you as his unofficial daughter. And swore he would protect you as if you really were his...just like he did with Velvet. And when Summer died he...changed and it took years for him to regain even a part of what he used to be like."

She paused for a moment debating on if she should continue, "If I'm going to be honest. I think you being here really helped him. It hurt him a little at first because of how much you look like your mother, but it helped him. I'm sure you remember how quickly he took a liking to you."

Ruby smiled remembering that day, it was a few weeks after she had entered Beacon and the field medicine teacher had become so fond of her.

 _"Well" Ruby began nervously, "It's just you seem to focus on me more than the other students. Even after class you always seem to want to help me more than the other students. I know I'm younger than everyone else here, but I don't want any special treatment, you know?"_

 _"Ruby" Professor Sin smiled, "You are special. You're mother was a special friend to me" Ruby's eyes shot up to meet his, surprise etched across her face, "So that means you're special to me as well, alright?"_

 _Ruby could only nod in response._

"So" Ruby said, "Since I remind him of my mother, do you think me being around is making him even more sad?"

"Yes" Ivy answered truthfully, "But I also think you may be able to help him come out of it. In all honesty, Ozpin, Glynda and myself have been unsuccessful and right now I don't have any other ideas on how to help him. You may be able to, but the first and most important step is keeping him away from alcohol. I'm going to go to his lab and get rid of any I can find, after than I'll go through his room as well. In the meantime can I ask you to try and help him?"

Ruby immediately agrees, "Yeah, I'll help. If he was a friend of my mom I want to help him, also...Velvet was my friend and now that I think of it, he is to."

Ivy smiles, "You are so much like your mother" she says ruffling her hair, "Go on back to your room for today, we'll talk more tomorrow."

Leaving the room Ruby looks at Sin's door one more time, after everything Ivy told her and seeing how broken her teacher was, it hurt her, but it strengthened her resolve. She would find a way to help him, she would save him from his despair, it's what her mother would have done and it's what she will do. Ruby's shoes clapped against the tile floor in the empty hall, echoing with each step her determination evident in her stride as she left the faculty dorms and stepped out into the light of the setting sun.

"Just wait Professor Sin" she said staring at the orange horizon, "I'll find a way to help you."


	16. Healing Before the Storm

Two months, it had been two months since the last name was added to Beacon's memorial wall, though reports of grimm attacks and people dying or becoming infected were still a near daily occurrence the students and staff of the academy were just thankful that they managed to go more than a week without having to add another name to the wall.

Lunch time, nowadays many students and even some staff used this period to check on family to make sure they were safe, especially those that lived outside the kingdom or major cities while others watched global news to stay up to date with the state of the other kingdoms. A developing story spoke of a grimm horde that attacked the port city of Argus, thankfully the monsters were swiftly wiped out by the stationed Atlas military with the only casualties being Atlas' robotic foot soldiers. Reports also came in of a container ship from Atlas heading for Vacuo that had gone missing in the seas with the last communication from the ship being over two days ago, so far all searching attempts have been unsuccessful.

"At least nothing is going on around here for a change" a blonde student said disheartenedly as he prodded at his food with his fork.

"You say that like you're unhappy about it" his raven-haired teammate replied.

"I'm not" the blonde said back, "I mean. I'm glad that we're getting a break around here, but there's still the rest of the world. Is it really that much to ask that the whole world can just have a few days where nothing bad happens?"

"No, it's not" his teammate told him, "While it may often seem hopeless we have to keep pushing forward while remembering that we are working to see a day where those monsters are gone for good."

"Yeah so cheer up Jaune!" their orange-haired female teammate practically shouted slapping her hands on the table and leaning toward him, "Things will get better, we just have to keep going until then. And if any of those monsters get in our way, we'll just break their legs!"

The dark-haired boy next to her chuckled, "What she said."

The blonde student looked at the news article on his scroll again, "There's something I don't get, the people that get infected and turn into those things, why don't they use their aura? Even professional huntsman have been infected and turned, but they're not hard to put down."

"It's because their minds are gone" the red-haired girl sitting next to him answered, "The fever that comes with the infection causes delirium and confusion, the mind slowly begins to lose its higher functions" she paused remembering what she read in her studies, "By the time they turn the only thing they can think of is attacking what's not one of them and eating it. They no longer have a sense of self-preservation, unlike the monsters. The grimm, they were mutated from animals, while animals have aura the grimm can't use it since they seem to lack the active thoughts to, but they still seem to have the fight or flight response."

The dark-haired boy nodded, "The virus does seem to affect people and animals differently. Aside from the physical mutations, the mind is affected differently as well. There was a report of a beowolf retreating from a battle when it became too injured. It seems the ones that were once animals still have survival instincts while the ones that were once people don't."

"Zombies!" their orange-haired teammate exclaimed, "Watch out Jaune they're coming for your brains!"

"Alright Nora" the boy next to her said calmly, "I think that's enough movies for a while."

"But Reeeeeeeeeen" the girl groaned, "We have so much popcorn, what else are we going to do with it?"

"Just eat it" the boy next to her said.

Nora laughed, "Oh Ren you're silly, everyone knows you can't eat popcorn unless you're watching a movie. That's the whole reason it was invented."

Ren sighed and looked back to the other two members of his team, "Speaking of inventions, have either of you heard any news on Professor Sin? I overheard Professor Ivy asking Ruby for assistance in helping him recover."

"None I'm afraid" Pyrrha replied, "But that would explain why I've seen Ruby coming in and out of the faculty dorms over the past few weeks."

Jaune looked up at the cafeteria ceiling, "I asked Professor Ivy about him a couple of days ago, he's still taking Velvet's death pretty hard."

Ren closed his eyes, "According to her, Velvet was like a daughter to Professor Sin. Having lost my own parents I can kind of imagine what he's going through. The only difference being he was actually in a position to help her, yet he wasn't able to."

"He's heartbroken" Pyrrha said, "Professor Peach was a friend of his, they were teammates when they were students, and to lose her not long before he lost Velvet. I'm sure it's too much for him."

Jaune agreed, "Yeah, add to it that he's overworked. It's pretty much common knowledge that he's done more work researching this virus than most labs, even I know that."

"Well" Pyrrha began trying to regain her optimistic tone, "Maybe we could help as well. We could offer Ruby and Professor Ivy help with getting him to feel better."

Ren nods, "Yes, I believe that would be a good idea. After all he's done a lot for us not just as a teacher. Professor Sin has made an effort to befriend many of his students."

"Oh!" Nora exclaimed, "We can take him to the movies!"

Ren lowered his head to hide his smile at his friend's outburst, "Or" he began waiting for Nora to calm down, "We could just be there for him and talk to him. That is the most common way of helping people dealing with grief and trauma, to simply offer your company and talk to them."

A brief chuckle escaped Jaune gaining the attention of his team, "Sorry" he quickly apologized, "It's just a little funny to hear that from you Ren, you're usually the quiet one that lets others do the talking."

"Am I?" Ren asked seeming surprised before Nora pats his shoulder.

"Oh don't worry about it Ren!" she smiles leaning her elbow against his shoulder, "I do enough talking for both of us" she explains waving her arm out in an arc, "I mean that's what makes us work so well together, well even though we're not together, together, but you know what I mean!"

Ren allowed a chuckle in response, "I still think it would be a good idea. We should ask if it would be alright to see him."

In complete agreement the members of JNPR finish their lunch and prepare for their next class and once they were finished for the day they sought out Professors Ivy and Goodwitch, finding both outside the faculty dorms.

"Professors" Pyrrha greeted with her usual smile.

"Ms. Nikos" Goodwith replied, "Is there something we can help you with?"

Jaune stepped forward, "Actually, we were hoping we could help. With Professor Sin I mean. You see, he's done so much for us and other students before things started getting really bad, we hate hearing about his current condition and want to know if there's any way we can help."

Goodwitch's eyes met each of theirs, "I appreciate the offer and desire to help students, but you should focus on your studies for now."

Ivy objected, "Actually Glynda I think this would be a good idea. You, Ozpin and I have already tried several times a day and the best we've gotten is a few sentences out of him. Maybe it's time we let someone else try."

Goodwitch turned to face her, "You mean like young Ms. Rose? I've noticed you've given her permission and a key to his room" the combat instructor paused, "It's not that I disapprove, knowing Sin's relationship with Ms. Rose's family would suggest that she could help, I just don't think we should expose our students to it."

Pyrrha crossed her hands in front of her waist, "With respect Professor...it's nothing we wouldn't have seen or dealt with before. Each of us here have personal experiences with the trauma that comes from those monsters and I know the two of you do as well. Also maybe it would help if Professor Sin knew or personally experienced how many people here care about him."

Goodwitch weighed the options in her mind, she wanted to keep the students away from this, to protect not only them, but her friend and colleague as well. Reluctantly she agreed to let JNPR help, but only under the condition that it would be one at a time to avoid aggravating or overstimulating Sin. She ordered the four back to their dorm for today, telling them to finish their homework first and then they could think of ways to help get through to their teacher. After the first-year team left Glynda turned her attention back to Ivy once again voicing her concern over this.

Returning to their dorm JNPR met Ruby as she was leaving her dorm, a book tucked under her arm.

Jaune greeted her, "Hey Ruby" causing the girl to jump.

"Jaune!" she gasped the book under her arm sliding free causing her to dive and juggle it in a panic, "What are you doing here?" she asked frantically after recovering the book and holding it against her chest.

Nora answered, "Duh, this is where our room is silly."

"Right" Ruby sighed, "Sorry, you just startled me is all."

Jaune apologized with a chuckle, "What's that?" he asked seeing the book she was hugging against her chest.

"Nothing!" Ruby suddenly exclaimed hiding it behind her back, "Uh, I mean, it's just notes. Right, I'm going to make copies for everyone because that's part of being a good leader" she nervously chuckles.

"Ooooooh" Nora grinned, "That sounds suspicious" thankfully Pyrrha opened their door and quickly pushed Nora in.

The redhead smiled at Ruby, "Well, that's certainly great of you Ruby. We won't keep you, please say hi to your team for us" she ushered Ren and Jaune inside before closing the door behind them leaving Ruby standing in the hall on her own.

The young girl sighed, "That was close" she said to herself bringing the book out from behind her back, _"Maybe he'll like this"_ she thought before leaving for the faculty dorms.

Going to Professor Ivy's room first Ruby knocked on the door asking her teacher if it was a good time to see Sin. Following Ivy the young huntress-in-training once again clutched her book tight against her chest, the sound of their shoes clapping against the tiled floor echoed in the otherwise silent hall, each step, each echo triggering different thoughts in her head, what would she say to him when she got in there? It was on impulse that she brought this particular book with her, she didn't stop to think of how short it was or what to talk to him about if they read it together like she planned.

Arriving at Sin's room Ivy unlocked it asking Ruby to wait outside for a moment while she checked the room to make sure there was no alcohol. Unable to watch her old teammate, her colleague, her childhood friend drink himself away she took away and threw out all the alcohol from his room and lab and just to be sure she checks every day to be sure. It took nearly a month just to get Sin to speak and at times she, Ozpin and Glynda had to force him to eat and of course she came in once a week to clean. Thankfully his personal dorm wasn't a mess, having done his laundry the day before the hamper was empty, the bathroom was scrubbed down, the only issue was a plate of food that had been sitting on the table since that morning, breakfast she had made for him that he apparently didn't touch.

"Dammit Sin" she said finding him sitting on his couch staring at his TV that wasn't turned on.

His hair a mess, and dark circles under his eyes he sat there wrapped in a blanket leaning into the corner between the armrest and backboard slowly rocking back and forth.

Kneeling down next to him she hugged him holding his head against her shoulder, "At least you're out of bed" she said before looking at the TV, "Trying to decide on what to watch?" she asked only to get no answer.

She took the remote from his hand and set it on the table, "Ruby's here" she said getting a reaction from him, "She's outside, she wants to see you."

His eyes lowered, his gaze falling to the carpet, "I'll let her in" Ivy told him, "Just take your time, we're both here for you."

Returning to the door she allowed Ruby inside watching her go to stand next to him before leaving to return to her own room.

Ruby looked around, the room was a lot nicer than it was the last time she came by, Professor Ivy clearly spent a lot of time cleaning up and taking care of him.

Walking over to her depressed teacher she smiled at him before sitting next to him, "I remember you said you were friends with my mom dad" she said to him, "Professor Ivy told me you were also in love with my mom" she noticed her teacher shift, "I was too young to remember a lot about her, but I remember there was this one story she would read to Yang and me at night, dad told me it was mom's favorite."

"The Girl and the Four Beasts" Sin muttered finishing Ruby's thought.

Ruby nodded with a smile, "Yeah. The story about a girl who had to find four magical creatures, once at each corner of the world to help her save it. Dad said that even before I was old enough to read I would always grab that book off the shelf when it was bedtime, waiting for mom to come read it to us" her tone lowered, "He always said he would start and let mom finish when she came back and we'd always fall asleep before she did."

Her tone lowered at the memories, she was too young back then to know why her mother had been gone for so long.

She continued, "Even though I have it memorized now I still like to read it. Dad told me you liked the story as well so I thought that maybe we could, you know, read it together for a little bit."

Slowly he turned his head, not looking at her, but at the book's cover, "They made a movie off of it" he said quietly.

Ruby nodded and smiled, "Yeah I know, I never got to see it, but I heard it didn't review well."

Sin looked away, "It was pretty bad."

Ruby asked, "How bad?"

He answered, "It only lasted two months in theatres."

"That's bad" Ruby noted, "Well, I still want to see it, may as well get the experience."

She watched the blanket shift as Sin raised his hand and pointed toward the cabinet next to his TV. Following his aim she walked over and opened the door to see his movie collection, in the middle of the top row was the movie adaptation they were talking about. Turning the case over she read the description on the back immediately seeing the differences in the plot between the movie and its source material.

She turned to him, "This already sounds bad" she smiled as she turned the TV on and slipped the movie into the player, "You get comfortable and I'll go make some popcorn" she said disappearing into his kitchen.

"You're so much like her" Sin muttered as the movie started, "It's like I'm back in school with her."

Ruby returned with a large bowl of popcorn setting it between them offering him the first bite as the opening credits began.

"You're going to regret this" Sin told her only for the girl to smile.

"Maybe" she answered, "But at least I'm not watching it alone. If it's that bad I'll have someone to laugh at it with me" she smiled again when she noticed her comment enticed a grin from her teacher.

Somewhere in the sea of western seas of Sanus, 42 hours ago.

A large container ship comes to a stop in the middle of the sea, it's mighty engines groaning to a halt as sweltering clouds of steam erupt from them. The crew wonders in confusion why they stopped, they were still at least a day and a half from port, at first they wondered if the ship's captain had ordered the engines to be shut off, but further inspection showed multiple mechanical malfunctions. The chief engineer went to speak with the captain to explain the situation only to find that it wasn't just the engines, their radios and navigations were out as well, everything except the ship's lights were no longer functioning.

"Well the ship has been sailing for twenty-six years" the chief officer said, "Perhaps it's time to take the old girl out of service."

"That would explain the engines" one of the deck officers said, "But what about the radios and navigation equipment? Those are replaced every year."

The deck officer in charge of bridge administration and radio checks offered a suggestion, "Maybe a bad system update?" his peers turned their attention to him, "I noticed there was some minor interference on the radio this morning and there was a systems check of everything before we left port, maybe that caused it."

"That doesn't explain the engines" the chief engineer said, "All of them malfunctioned and shut down. I don't know about the rest of you, but that seems pretty suspicious to me."

They all exchanged looks for a moment, "Are you suggesting sabotage?" one of the deck officers asked.

"Right now that doesn't matter" the ship master said to all of them as he gazed out of the broadside window, "Look. There's an oil rig out there, if we can see them then they can damn sure see us. Let's just get one of the emergency flares and fire it off, they'll send someone over to help."

He turned back to face them, "We can anchor the ship here for now and move there to use their radios. Then we can work on investigating possible sabotage."

"Sabotage is such an ugly word" someone said from the corner.

The present crew turned their attention to a young man leaning against the wall next to the door. A bit shy of six feet with silver grey hair slicked back while unkempt in the front and wearing a slate grey and black zipped up jacket with grey eyes to match the rest of his look. He smiled and shrugged at their confusion before nodding toward the wall of equipment behind them.

"Intentional damages" he suggested, "Permanent obstructions…" he shrugged again, "Eh, let's go with sabotage."

The ship master stepped forward, "Is there something you need Sailor?"

The young man smiled, "Yes actually, I need you to look at this" he hands over his scroll showing a video of one of the cargo bays in the lower decks.

The officers watched as the young man in front of them appears on screen and unlocks over a dozen containers before running away.

"What's the meaning of this?" the master says before the chief officer draws his attention back to the recording.

They watch the doors on each container slowly open and then grimm begin stepping out followed by swarms of infected, easily hundreds of them.

"Grab him!" the ship master ordered only for his words to be cut short as the young man stepped forward his leg shooting up from the floor and kicking him in the chest sending the old man sliding across the steel floor.

Catching his scroll that flew out of the ship master's hands the grey-haired saboteur smirked, "Well, that didn't look good now did it?" he asked them.

The chief officer lunged forward to tackle him, but the young man stepped back and kicked again, this time accompanied by the sound of a gunshot coming from his boot and the crew watched as the skull of the chief officer exploded outward, pieces of his brain and skull scattering around his body as it fell back blood quickly pouring from the lethal injury.

"Well, my work is done" he said, turning toward the door, "You guys might want to start swimming, if you're lucky you'll drown."

The young man stepped out of the door and climbed to the roof of the bridge as a bullhead flew close by dropping a rope ladder for the saboteur to climb. Inside the bridge the remaining crew checked on the ship master as the ship's alarms began sounding, the swarms of infected and packs of grimm on the lower decks began attacking the crew. As the ship master got to his feet something slammed against the bridge's window, a small group of infected spotted them and began attacking the glass that obstructed its path.

Climbing into the airship as it flew away the young man looked back seeing several emergency flares going off from the ship, "Well my part's done" he said turning to the individual behind him, "How about your end?"

A tall fair skinned, red-haired man stepped into view, he wore a long-sleeved black blazer with a red undershirt and black dress pants. On his face a visor like grimm mask and at his hip a sheathed sword.

"Done" he answered staring back at the oil rig fading into the distance, "The White Fang and I contaminated their food and water supply with the virus. They'll all be turned within the hour."

The grey-haired saboteur sighed, "Well sounds like you had fun. The food sucked and I actually had to work while I was there. So boring" his scroll rang, "Yeah?" he answered putting it on speaker.

"Is it done?" a female voice asked.

The young man chuckled, "Of course. Both targets have been hit and we're on our way back with the bullhead."

"I see" the woman answered, "Well done Mercury. And you as well Adam. I'll see you both when you get back to Vale."

* * *

 **A/N.** Sorry for the long break in between chapters, had to return to the real world for a while, still as scary as it always has been, but hey update in time for Halloween if you celebrate it. If not, well hopefully it's still a good day for you. Or whatever day you read this, hopefully it's a good day.


	17. Dark Waters Part 1

A bullhead takes off from Shade Academy in Vacuo, two teams of students on board given a mission to investigate a ship that had been missing for two days.

"ETA to the target location is about 3 hours" the pilot said, "Take the time to double check your equipment, plan and get some rest."

The two teams exchanged glances and nods, while they haven't worked together before they were familiar with each other, Team NDGO an all girl team led by Nebula Violette and Team BRNZ led by Brawnz Ni.

"Search and Rescue with the potential for Search and Destroy" their headmaster told them before they left, "The ship that went missing recently began transmitting again, we need to find out what happened. The ship was located several miles away from an offshore oil rig which has also gone dark. I'm sending both teams because I want both the ship and the oil rig searched. Any survivors are to be brought back and any threats eliminated. Good luck and please come back alive."

The eight students were bothered by those last words, the headmaster was expecting them to encounter danger, but this is what they trained for.

"I know we're all scared" the leader of BRNZ said to all of them, "At least I know I am, but there may be people that need our help, we have to find them."

Octavia Ember replied, "This is what we've been preparing for. We chose to be hunters" despite her tone being confident she tightly gripped her weapon trying to keep herself from shaking.

Gwen placed her hand on Octavia's shoulder, "It will be alright, as long as we stick together we'll make it through this" she smiles at her teammate reassuring her.

"Well that's why there's eight of us" Nolan said crossing one leg over his knee, "We can all watch each other's backs, I'll watch yours if you watch mine."

The words sounded friendly, but the way Gwen saw his lips curve clued her in to the other meaning, but before she could say anything Nolan's teammate May slapped the back of his head.

"Focus you perv" she says calmly before turning to NDGO, "You get used to him."

Roy chuckled, "It might take a while, but you do. Don't worry though Nolan knows how to keep his hands to himself and he'll be focused once we touchdown."

Nebula smirked, "That's fine, let him talk. If there is trouble he'll draw all the attention to himself" her team laughed with her.

Brawnz calmed them down, "Alright, everyone check your equipment and rest up."

Their weapons ready, dust counted and survival packs accounted for the students tried to get comfortable inside the belly of the steel bird. They were all expecting to find trouble, a ship that just stops in the middle of the sea and fails to transmit something was up. The ship was found because the nearby oil rig also went silent, failing to give a daily check in an airship was sent out to check on it and spotted the missing container ship as it flew over and reported it, but when they made a pass at the rig they saw them, infected everywhere.

That report was another reason why Shade's headmaster sent two teams instead of just one and yet he still worried it may not be enough. After sending his students off he sat at his desk contacting the headmasters of the other academies to explain to them what was going on, thankfully Ozpin was able to keep him calm understanding his fear having lost multiple students at Beacon over the past months. General Ironwood sent a few ships to provide backup, but reports of a severe storm delayed the flight forcing them to turn around.

When the container ship came into view the pilot roused the students, "How's it look?" Brawnz asked the pilot.

"Can't see anything on the ship" the pilot replied flying low, "Hopefully someone is still alive, should we give the rig a pass?"

Nebula nodded, "Yes, we already got the reports of infected there, but I want to see it for myself."

Passing by the offshore rig they confirmed it, hundreds of infected on the rig platforms alone and who knows how many more inside.

"Looks like the seas are getting choppy" the pilot said seeing the waves, "The ship's position is different than the coordinates we received, it must have drifted" he swore after checking the radar, "It's because of that storm, it changed its predicted course, damn that means I won't be able to stay. I'll have to drop you off and come back when the storm passes."

"That's fine" Brawnz told him, "Get the ship somewhere safe, we can take care of ourselves and any survivors until you get back."

The pilot nods as he flies back to the ship and hovers down close enough for them to repel onto the deck, "Good luck" he tells them before the disembark.

Once their boots hit the deck the two teams spread out forming a perfect circle as they scanned the area around them ensuring there were no hostiles.

"Some of these containers are open and damaged" Dew noticed, "Claw marks, we've got grimm."

Brawnz looked at Nebula, "The crew roster listed twenty-five people on the ship right?"

Nebula nods, "Surprisingly ships these sizes only require around twenty people to run it. Hopefully they managed to hold out somewhere."

Brawnz looked at them, "Alright, I'll take the front, Roy you and Nolan cover the left, May I want you in the rear keeping a watch on our six. Nebula stay in the back with May, Gwen and Octavia on the right once we're away from the rails and Dew you hold the middle of the formation, your spear will let you reach past us in case we get attacked."

Nebula smiles, "A solid formation, not bad."

The two teams move falling into a cross formation with Brawnz taking point, leading them through the rows and stacks of shipping containers, thankfully no signs of any enemies yet, but frighteningly multiple signs that grimm were here.

They moved slowly at first to avoid attracting attention, but once the rain started they began moving faster. The storm wasn't just getting closer it was getting worse. The moment the rain started falling it began pelting them, heavy torrential pellets of water beat down against the ship and them. Making it to the bridge platform they climbed the staircase and checked inside finding the first signs of the crew.

Slowly pushing a door open Brawnz whispered back to his group, "We've got a body" stepping inside the room he crouched next to the body and turned it onto its back, he already knew the sailor was dead from the dried blood all over him, "One of the deck officers" he said seeing the uniform.

"We should check each room" Nebula recommended, "Then we make our way to the bridge."

Brawnz agreed taking the lead once again, every room was empty until they reached the bridge and found another body once that was torn open at the torso and it's head looked like it exploded. Covering their mouths the team backed away the stench of the ripped open corpse overpowering their sense of smell. Pulling his shirt over his nose Brawnz moved closer, he could see inside the poor man's rib cage, bite marks all over his body and some of his organs ripped apart as well, there was no doubt he had been eaten by the infected.

"These bites aren't from grimm" he told the group.

Nolan checked the consoles around the bridge, "So we've got infected then, great."

Brawnz stood up, "That's not what's bothering me right now. Look at what's left of his head, it looks like it was blown off with a high-powered shot."

Octavia checked the windows on the starboard side, "You think someone shot him?"

"Maybe" Brawnz answered, "Maybe he shot himself, prefering to kill himself instead of being eaten" he looked around, "There's no weapon, if that was the case then someone else must have taken it."

"Or they panicked and turned on each other" Roy suggested, "We've seen it happen before. Maybe someone else shot him."

Nebula opened a hatch leading down one deck, "Either way we need to stay alert, the ship still has power so let's start checking the lower decks. Once we do we should check the engine room."

Dew looked at her, "What about the captain's quarters?"

Gwen recalled, "The door was barricaded, but no one answered. We may find someone in there, but if they may not be alive."

Nebula said, "Forcing our way in would cause too much noise, we can't risk it. We'll check and see if there's another way in. Let's check the next deck."

Brawnz nodded, "Agreed, keep formation and stay tight."

"Stay tight he says" Nolan chuckled once they descended to the next deck, "With how cramped these halls are we couldn't loosen up if we wanted to."

"We'll move two by two then" Brawnz ordered, "Let's move and keep the volume down."

Nolan fell in line next to Gwen, "Well it's a tight fit, but if it's you I'm not going to complain" he joked only to feel something sharp poke against his arm.

Gwen was holding the tip of one of her knives against his forearm, "Hands to yourself."

The teams moved and another deck cleared, no bodies anywhere, but distinct signs of struggle and panic in each room. Blood smears on the floor and walls, overturned furniture trying to barricade the corridor or rooms and one of the walls was broken down as if something had just crashed through it into the next room and the opposite wall that led back to the outside of the ship. The rain was still coming splattering the floor near the hole in the wall soon followed by the deafening sound of thunder, the storm was almost on top of them.

Reaching the staircase leading to the next deck they found the stairs collapsed, "Looks like we'll have to drop down" Nebula said, "It's only about two meters."

Brawnz nodded, "I'll drop first and watch the open door, you drop after and watch behind me."

Jumping down the collapsed stairs Brawnz raised his clawed gauntlets and slowly advanced on the open door while Nebula dropped in behind him her sword raised as well as she checked the hall waiting for the rest of their group to follow. Two by two they all made sure to stay within sight and arm's reach of each other as they checked the deck. The door to one room was smashed in and inside the body of one of the ship's crew, ripped in half at the waist with only the intestines still connecting the upper and lower halves of the body.

Covering his mouth Nolan turned to a nearby waste bin and emptied his stomach the smell too overwhelming for him. Bracing his hand against the desk and wall Nolan continued to hunch over with each expulsion, the horrid taste and acidic feeling left in his mouth making it worse. Backing away from the room he met Gwen's gaze giving her a silent thumbs up to let her know he would be alright.

Sweeping the last of the deck the next body they found was a ghastly white, an infected and not just one. Just around the corner were three more, from the looks of it some of the crew fought back, broken furniture and debris and a few bullet holes in the walls and an empty bracket for a fire extinguisher. Kneeling next to one of the infected Gwen took one of her throwing knives and slowly pushed it into the skull of the corpse ensuring it would not get up again. Studies of the infected showed that if one was killed, but the brain was left intact there was a chance it could revive after a period of time where it went through a dormant mutation, the infected's fingernails would grow longer and sharper becoming claws and their teeth became more pointed and their skin tougher. With each infected body they came across they made sure it would stay down, not wanting to take the chance of one getting up behind them.

Finally reaching the door that would lead them toward the engine room the group paused to make sure they were all ready.

Roy checked behind them, "I don't like this. We've found half a dozen bodies, but haven't encountered anything yet survivors, infected or grimm. What are the chances that they're waiting for us in there?"

"Pretty high" Nebula answered, "Unless a lot of them fell overboard, either way we have to check the whole ship."

Roy looked out one of the viewport windows, "Storms gotten pretty bad, looks like we're right in the middle of it now."

Brawnz said, "It's better that we're inside. We can see better and if we encounter anything we can funnel it in these halls. Let's get moving Roy."

The dark skinned hunter-in-training nodded falling in behind his leader as they entered the engine room. Closing the door behind them to make sure nothing could follow them they navigated the partially collapsed catwalks until they reached the office overlooking the engine room encountering a pair of still living infected. Brawnz runs into the room startling the two infected who react to the sound by hunching down and turning to face it only for the first one to be gored by the young hunter's claws to its temple. Pivoting on his foot and shifting his weight Brawnz hurled the dispatched infected into its mate stumbling it and giving Nebula a clear headshot with her crossbow.

The leader of BRNZ complimented her, "Nice shot."

Nebula returned his gesture, "Nice hustle, clean kill."

May kneeled down at the office window resting the barrel of her sniper rifle on the ledge as she scanned the room and its far corners, "I see thirty-six down there right now, but there's most likely more" her scope rests on a pair of infected that were attacking each other, wildly swinging at one another in a blind feverish rage.

The behaviour of those infected was the most documented part of the virus, after succumbing and turning humans and faunus would retain some reflection of their former selves, albeit in a primitive state. They would wander or stumble about like any sick person on the move and when they tired they would either lean against a wall or sit or lay down on the floor. Some would occasionally still react to what infected them sometimes hunching over and vomiting, and sometimes they would begin attacking one another. Caused by the hysteria inducing fever the infected still suffered from, sometimes the fight was caused when one infected stumbled into another and other times it seemed unprovoked, it wasn't long before researchers determined it was because of the fever likely they were still hallucinating and just began lashing out and attacking what moved.

Nebula spoke up, "Alright let's move, May stay up here and provide cover, Gwen, Dew stay and back her up in case something happens."

The three girls nodded with May maintaining her position with Gwen and Dew behind her watching her back while the others descended the stairs into the engine room to clear it. Before their feet even touched the final step one infected spotted the group and snarled before rushing toward them at a full sprint, Nebula raised her crossbow and fired the bolt going right into the center of its face causing enough trauma to kill it. Retrieving her fired bolt she stabbed the infected through its skull to confirm the kill.

Clearing the massive engine room the ground team split up to check around, Brawnz with Nolan and Nebula with Roy and Octavia. Checking the head they found another infected inside one of the stalls feasting on the body of one of the crew, swiftly dispatched by Octavia when her kriss pierced the back of its skull. Exiting the restrooms they regroup with the rest of the team to confirm that everything was clear, contacting May to confirm from her vantage point.

Given the all clear they began to wonder if Nebula was right and the infected and grimm went overboard into the sea.

"Possibly" Roy said, "Hopefully, it's creepy enough in here without having to deal with all of that."

Nebula's scroll pinged she was receiving a call from Gwen in the office, "Yeah Gwen? Did you find something?"

"Yeah" Gwen replied, "We found a scroll under one of the desks up here, someone tried to send out an emergency broadcast, listen."

Playing the message and holding it up to her scroll for her allies to see they all watched the screen as a frightened crew member appeared, "This is the cargo ship Pollux, our ship is being overrun with infected and grimm. They were inside some of our containers, thousands of them, we need help, someone…" the sailor's words were interrupted by a roar the students recognized to be an ursa before he began yelling at someone offscreen to block the door, "Is anyone reading? I'm broadcasting on an open channel, our ship is being overrun with infected please, anyone respond!"

The sound of steel twisting and another roar and the crew began screaming before the sailor was knocked to the ground and swarmed by infected while his shipmates fled in fear, the scroll sliding across the floor and under the desk where it laid continuing to record until its battery depleted.

"Did you hear all that Neb?" Gwen asked her leader, "Thousands of them. We should have seen way more by now."

Brawnz suggested, "Maybe it wasn't that much, maybe they were just that panicked" he turned around to face a sealed door leading deeper into the engine compartments, "Then again there's still parts of the ship we haven't searched."

It was then the ship rocked, loud impact sounds echoing around them causing them to stumble and lose their footing tossing them all to the floor.

"May report" Brawnz yelled.

May called down to them, "I'm alright, we all are."

"Did we hit something?" Nolan wondered.

"The oil rig" Roy said, "The storm was pretty bad and the anchor wasn't dropped. The storm must have pushed the ship into the rig, it's the only thing within hundreds of miles from us."

"Well at least we won't have to swim there" Nolan said before May contacted them through her scroll, "Quiet, there's movement above you."

She saw something move near the large vents, turning her scope towards it she saw the glowing red eyes and called down to her team, "Watch out!"

The ground team looked up at the black half of a king taijitu appeared raising up to look at them before opening its mouth and hissing. Thick strands of saliva dropped from its maw right before it lunged at them scattering the team. Their fight began and between the five on the ground and May's sniper support they were able to make short work of the serpent, but as they waited for its other head to appear they heard the howls of alerted infected. The sound of battle and gunfire alerting the horde to their presence and they began pouring in from vents and the corner offices at the top of the collapsed catwalks.

Preparing for battle the teams readied themselves, but their focus was drawn to the sounds of groaning steel and heavy impacts, the shutter that separated their room from the other side of the engine compartment dented inward a roar heard from the other side before another impact knocked the shutter down and a pair of ursa along with a pack of beowolves rushed in.

"Stick together!" Brawnz yelled as they began fighting.

From the office May provided sniper support while Gwen ran out onto the stairs flinging her throwing knives trying to help her team, neither them nor Dew noticed over the sounds of battle the hissing sound coming from the vent behind them. The white head of the king taijitu burst through the vent sending both Dew and May to the floor below landing a heavy blow on their aura levels. Slow to get up Dew was almost swallowed by the king taijitu before Roy intercepted its attack, firing one of his saw blades at its face slicing through its eye. The snake head flailed and recoiled before turning its attention to Roy who ran the opposite direction successfully baiting the monster away from his comrades. Leading the king taijitu toward the shut down engine pistons Roy slipped through them the giant serpent weaving itself through as it gave chase.

As he slipped through the opposite end of the pistons Roy looked back at the trapped monster giving it a mocking salute only to leave himself open as an infected tackled him pushing him back toward the machine. Struggling against the diseased faunus Roy managed to get his foot on the infected's stomach and kick it away sending it right into the control panel restoring power to the engines in the room. Hearing the pistons hum Roy hurried to remove himself from between them only to be crowded by more infected pushing him further against the engine as it started moving.

"Roy!" Brawnz yelled seeing his trapped teammate.

Nebula yelled, "The emergency shutters are closing, we need to run!"

Rushing to save his teammate Brawnz fought his way through the infected, but he was too late as the engines started and the piston made its first rotation. The piston went down bringing its beam with it causing Roy to drop further into it as the infected rushed him and they all watched as the piston made its curve and came down on Roy and the infected crushing him his aura unable to stand up against the pressure. Nebula yelled at Brawnz as Nolan ran over grabbing his stunned leader's shoulder and pulling him away, the team retreating through the closing emergency shutter cutting them off from the pursuing infected, they were safe, but Roy Stallion didn't make it.


	18. Dark Waters Part 2

_The door sealed behind them, an emergency shutter to prevent flooding on the ship which meant there must be a hull breach somewhere and when the power was restored it closed. They were safe now, cut off from the infected, if only they knew what else lurked within the cargo ship._

Brawnz continued to slam his fist against the hull yelling, cursing, his teammate killed when he was so close to saving him. Again he punched the hull his hand bruised and bleeding losing its battle against the steel wall, but still he continued. Nolan and May the remaining two members of BRNZ along with the members of NDGO kept their distance allowing Brawnz to vent his grief with what time they had to rest.

Nebula and Dew checked on their supplies, Octavia's pack was lost during the battle and Roy's was likely crushed along with him, not that they could retrieve it even if they wanted to. Nebula was down to her last three arrows and Gwen her last two knives, May still had a sufficient amount of ammunition left for her rifle, beyond that the group had already used a third of the dust they brought with them. Their supplies dwindled, but still enough all they had to do now was rest, allow their auras to replenish.

The hull groaned and they felt the ship shift red emergency lights that lined the walls illuminated, "Hull breach detected" a female automated voice announced through the loudspeakers, "Engine compartment flooding. Emergency shutters will seal in five minutes, all hands please evacuate the compartment."

Nebula walked over to Brawnz placing her hand on his shoulder, "We need to get moving" she softly told him.

His wounded hand sliding down the wall he nodded his acknowledgment without looking at her. Taking the lead in the formation once again, no choice, but to move towards the stern of the ship into the final engine room, the klaxon going off minutes after entering and the automated alert announcing that another compartment was flooding. The klaxon alarm along with the flashing red emergency light only made their situation worse as they moved through the reddish brown steel cage that was the final engine room. They spotted the hull breach as they moved toward the back, sea water pouring in through a large tear in the weathered walls.

Octavia looked up, "The catwalks here are still in one piece, we need to find the ladder and get higher up, there will be an exit to the upper decks."

Dew looked at Brawnz's bleeding hand, "Want me to bandage that?"

Brawnz started walking, "I'll be fine, don't worry about me" the blood from his hand dripping into the water that was pooling around them.

Not even halfway through the room and the water was above their ankles, forcing the team to pick up their pace.

Gwen pointed to the opposite wall near the back corner, "There's the ladder, it goes up to the observation platform."

May raised her sniper rifle peering through its scope, "Right side of the platform, there's another ladder leading up. That's our ticket out."

Nebula nodded, "Then let's g…" her words interrupted by the sound of something hitting the hull and the hole that flooded the compartment grew bigger.

Nebula ordered the group to move only for something to hit the ship again, then a third time. Risking a look they saw the dents against the hull, something was ramming into the ship, but what. It was the fourth hit when they saw it punch through, a bulky black form with a hardened white face, glaring red eyes and a maw full of serrated teeth, it poured in with the ocean resting on the platform.

"A sea scourge" Nolan exhaled seeing the shark grimm thrashing about the floor until the water was high enough for it to move.

Nebula yelled at them, "Run!"

The team ran for the ladder, the water now up to their calves slowing them while the sea scourge swam around sensing the panicked disruptions in the water and searching for its prey.

"May you first" Nebula said, "Get up and keep it away."

May climbed first, swiftly climbing the ladder and resting her rifle against the platform's rail firing at the grimm when she saw it trying to keep it away, unfortunately her shots were ineffective at deterring the monster, the water's resistance slowing their velocity. Seeing the monster's fin appear above the water May moved her crosshairs over it and fired scoring a hit inflicting enough pain to turn the beast away. Dew and Nebula made it up and began climbing the next ladder to the catwalks as Octavia climbed next.

Gwen began climbing behind her teammate leaving Nolan and Brawnz in the water, "Boss let's go" Nolan shouted.

Brawnz looked at him, "You first" he said raising his clawed gauntlets and scanning the water's surface now up to his waist.

Once Nolan was fully out of the water Brawnz began climbing, his wound bleeding even more with each tight grip on the ladder, the scent of blood sending the sea scourge into a frenzy. Yelling at his allies to keep climbing Brawnz made it to the platform immediately turning to grab the next ladder as the sea scourge flew from the water, its hardened nose ramming the platform's base causing it to collapse into the water leaving Brawnz dangling from the ladder as he tried to pull himself up. Calling out to his leader Nolan slid down the ladder and grabbed Brawnz's hand helping him back up, both of them making it to the catwalks above with the rest of their group.

"Keep moving" Nebula ordered, running across the steel walkway that spanned the room.

"The bulkheads will have sealed by now" Octavia told them, "But the access door ways can still be used, we just have to make sure to seal it behind us to keep the water out."

Reaching the end of the catwalk Nebula grabbed hold of the door's wheel, but her wet hands slipped each time she tried to turn it.

Dew ran over to her, "Move" she jammed her spear through one of the openings in the wheel bracing it against the frame and pressing her foot against the railing using the leverage to move the wheel with her leader helping.

The rods in the door slid out of their locks and they pushed the door open Nebula going first only to run into a pack of infected. Her screams alerting her allies Dew ran in after her, fighting off the once human, her spear less effective in the tight corridor forcing her to fight without it. Octavia ran in next to save her team and from behind the door more infected appeared some running for the redhead others seeing the open door and rushing the ones still on the walkways.

Kneeling down May waited for the first infected to lunge for her before she pushed with her feet standing up and hurling it over the rail into the rising water below, like Dew's spear her axe was too large for the confines of the area leaving her to fight with her hands as she pushed through. Gwen, Nolan and Brawnz were left on the catwalk, almost to the door when the sea scourge leapt from the water again it's jaws closing around the base of the walkway and its weight tearing it apart as gravity pulled the monster back into the water. Nolan and Brawnz grabbed hold of the railing to anchor themselves as the force of the catwalk being torn apart threatened to throw them over, their abrupt shift in weight and position causing them to slip, but when they stood up Gwen was nowhere to be seen.

Quickly looking over the edge Nolan spotted her in the water, "Gwen!"

Gwen looked up at him, "Nolan, help!"

Without thinking Nolan jumped onto the hanging remains of the catwalk, its rails now serving as a ladder as he climbed down to save her. With the attacking infected dealt with Nebula and the others watched helplessly from the doorway as Nolan climbed down and May scanned the water with her rifle searching for the sea scourge. Reaching the end of the rail Nolan hooked his legs around it hanging himself upside down as he reached for Gwen yelling for her to grab his hand.

Gwen tried to jump, her hand missing his by inches, the water level too low for them to reach. Panicking and crying Gwen begged and pleaded, as she tried again to jump from the water and this time their fingertips brushing each other's. Nolan strained and stretched trying to extend his reach managing to grab her fingers only for her to slip from his grasp.

Nolan yelled, "I've almost got you."

Gwen cried, "Nolan, I don't want to die, I don't want to di" her body vanished under the water and Nolan and the others froze.

Nolan's body began shaking until he saw bubbles float to the water's surface, "Gwen?" he muttered seeing the water displace as something floated to the surface.

What was left of Gwen's body floated to the surface, her torso ripped apart, the bloodied half body drifted against the moving waters dying them with blood, the flesh jagged from the grimm's jaws tearing it until it split in two. Half of her left arm was missing and while her eyes were still open forever frozen in a look of fear, the life had been snatched the physical trauma quickly clouding them. Her body drifted against the waves for a moment before the shark grimm lunged up again grabbing not only what was left of Gwen, but Nolan as well dragging him into the water as his allies screamed his name.

Brawnz jumped the gap between the destroyed walkway and the door stepping into the adjacent hall with the rest of the group, Octavia closing the door and turning the wheel sliding the steel rods into the locks to keep the water out. First Roy and now Gwen and Nolan, three lost in under half an hour at this point they wanted to abandon the mission and leave, but they had to keep going. Even if there were no survivors they had to make it back to the upper decks and wait out the storm until their extraction returned, they might as well keep looking and hope that at least one person survived so the mission wouldn't have been for nothing.

"We need to keep moving" Nebula said her back to the group and her voice low as she tried to keep herself together, "The ship won't sink as long as long as the flooding is contained to that room, but we have to keep searching for survivors."

Brawnz pushed past her going down the hall first as he had since they first touched down on the ship's deck. Though he was scared and grieving he had to push on not just for his last remaining teammate, but for himself as well, he couldn't give up now. Making their way up a level their reached a large storage compartment. Forklifts, giant spools of steel cables and barrels of oil lined the room and against the center of the left wall an elevator platform.

"Any idea where this goes?" Dew asked them staring at the lift.

Octavia answered, "To the top deck. They use the forklift to move the cable spools and the lift takes it to the top deck where they can drive the cables to whatever needs to be tied down. We're near the stern on the port side."

May looked at her, "How do you know so much about these boats?"

Octavia glanced at a corpse leaning against the control panel for the lift, "My uncle was a sailor. He took me in after my parents died. He worked on a ship like this, I went with him on some of the voyages until I was old enough to enroll in combat school. He passed away not long after I was accepted into Shade."

May lowered her eyes to the floor, "I'm sorry."

"It's alright" Octavia told her, "Let's just get out of here. Hopefully the storm has passed by now, we can get back to the bridge and try to establish a safe room until the airship returns."

Walking over to the lift controls she checked the instruments, it was receiving power, but the key was missing. Kneeling next to the corpse that died leaning against the controls she reached for his hand, finding the required key clutched in his cold grasp. She apologized to the body as she took the key, seeing the hole in his side where he bled out, at least he didn't become one of them.

She warned them, "These things are loud, it might attract attention once I start it."

Nebula nodded, "Let's search the room first, might be something we can use."

Staying together while they searched they didn't find much aside from a pistol in a desk and a first aid kit. Nebula handed the pistol to May since neither of her weapon's form where meant for tight spaces while Dew treated Brawnz's injured hand, offering her condolences as she wrapped it in gauze. They took a moment to rest, while they were desperate to get out they were exhausted and needed to allow recent events to sink in so they wouldn't be distracted later.

While May wiped her tears with her beanie Brawnz sat on the desk forcing his tears back, he would cry when the assignment was over. Nebula was in the same mindset, she had to be strong for her team even though she just wanted to be off this tub, Gwen was her closest friend, even closer than Dew or Octavia and the last memory she had of her was her body, ripped apart and floating in blood stained waters. The leader of NDGO looked to what was left of her team, Dew despite being nervous was always the toughest of their group and honestly Nebula always thought Dew should have been the leader, but it was thanks to her encouragement that Nebula became a good team leader. Octavia on the other hand was the little sister of their group despite being the second oldest by a month, her uncle was her last living relative leaving her without a family until she became a member of NDGO since then she never stopped trying to prove herself. Nebula looked at her scroll, the image of her team shown with Gwen's picture greyed out and her aura level at zero, she wasn't going to lose anyone else, she wouldn't allow it.

Standing up she dusted her pants, "Alright" she said, "We should get moving."

Leaving the corner office and returning to the lift Octavia slipped the key into its slot and turned giving power to the raised lift and pressing the button to bring it down to them. The elevator hummed to life and began lowering and just like Octavia warned the noise attracted their attention. The howls echoed from above and infected began pouring in from the above opening, dropping onto the lowering platform or to the floor, some breaking their legs on their landing forcing them to crawl towards their targets while those that survived the fall ran.

Falling into formation they began fighting their way to the lift keeping a tight circle giving them a full view with no blindspot and the ability to defend each other quickly. They managed to successfully hold off the horde until the lift came to a stop on the ground and they stepped on, but the infected kept coming. Slamming his fist against the controls Brawnz caused the lift to start going up, they continued to fight and push the infected off the rising platform it wouldn't be long until they were topside again.

The lift stopped, it's mechanisms creaking to a halt. Brawnz slapped his hand against the controls again, but the lift remained still and the infected below began climbing and jumping to reach them and then a different howl echoed. Below them, at the door they came through, an alpha beowolf drawn by the noise.

Octavia noticed the panel on the wall, the elevator's oil pressure was too low for the hydraulics to move it, she could reset it and get the lift moving again.

Lowering her head she took in a deep breath, "Nebula, Dew" she said just loud enough for the group to hear her, "You two are the only family I have left, take care of each other."

One second, one second was all it took for the meaning of her words to dawn on them, a single second and yet time slowed as Nebula, Dew, Brawnz and May watched Octavia leap from the lift drawing the attention of the infected horde and the beowolf to herself. The four of them called out to Octavia, telling her to stop. Crying for her to not do it, but there was no other way. The oil pressure had to be returned to normal and the waves of infected weren't slowing down.

Reaching the control panel she grabbed one of the pressure valves and turned, dropping the pressure from the main tank and transferring it to the secondary. An infected lunged grabbing hold of her, but she managed to fight it off throwing it into the others giving her the opening she needed to turn the next valve bringing the pressure levels back returning life to the lift. The alpha beowolf thrashed its way through the horde making a straight line for her and Octavia stepped away from the control panel backing right into an oil barrel.

Hearing the metallic thud behind her she knew immediately what it was and turned on her heel spinning behind it and prying the lid off. Kicking the barrel over she rolled it toward the infected watching them slip on the oil, but there were more that just climbed over their fallen brethren. Knocking over another barrel she made one last look up at her friends, her family as the lift reached the ceiling of the room, she smiled as channeled the fire dust in her kriss and ignited the oil engulfing the room in flames. The elevator made it to the top deck when the explosion came, shaking the floor setting off the fire alarms around the ship and waking the infected and grimm that remained.

No time to mourn the group forced themselves to keep moving, but the path to the bridge was swarmed with infected, they had no choice they had to run to the retreat to the rear of the ship. The storm was still going and while it made it harder for them to see, it kept them concealed from the infected as they made their way to the stern. Reaching the back of the ship they saw it through the darkness, the oil rig, right next to them the storm had caused the ship to drift into it. While they remembered seeing infected all over the rig before they were dropped off it was better than staying on the ship at this point, using ice dust Dew aimed her spear, creating a ramp of ice to the landing of the oil rig letting them slide down to where a small boat would dock. From here they would climb and find somewhere to barricade themselves while they once again rested and thought of a plan and hopefully no one else would die.


	19. Dark Waters Part 3

First Roy, then Gwen and Nolan and then Octavia. It had only been seven hours since they touched down on the ship and since Roy was killed it just kept going downhill. They hadn't encountered a single survivor thus far and began to believe there weren't any. Once they made it to the oil rig they began climbing silently taking out any infected they came across to avoid drawing the attention of another horde, reaching the first level they took shelter in a locker room. They moved the lockers to block the windows and used the benches to bar the doors giving them a chance to rest while the storm continued to rage outside.

They tried to make a call, but the rig's transmitter must have been damaged leaving them with no signal. Deciding it would be best to rest and try and wait out the storm Nebula took the first watch telling Brawnz she would wake him in a few hours. None of them thought they would be able to sleep after everything that had happened, but with the adrenaline gone came the crash and one by one they closed their eyes, until only Nebula remained awake.

The leader of NDGO slowly paced around the room, keeping her movements and sounds limited in case something outside managed to hear her. Their current space wasn't completely safe, but it would allow them time to rest as long as they weren't discovered and with night approaching and the storm still going it would be best to sit and wait. Nebula checked her scroll, keeping the backlight dim, _10:37PM_ the clock displayed, roughly nine hours until sunrise and another half hour until she woke Brawnz to take over.

Thunder roared outside again and on reflex Nebula raised her sword still on edge after everything. The storm had slowed since it hit them deciding to stop right on top of them as if it was also trying to kill them. She looked at her scroll again, a picture of her and her team, what would she tell Gwen's mother? Would she even be able to face her and tell her that she wasn't able to save her daughter? Another roar of thunder and Nebula flinched squeezing her eyes shut, wishing she could trade places with them, not just the members of her team, but Roy and Nolan as well.

Seeing light appear under the closed door May checked her scroll, _7:59AM_ , the sun was up and from the sound of it the storm was finally gone. Waking the others they gathered in the middle of the room to check their supplies and rations, May's ammunition was below half and they were down to their last few dust crystals. It didn't leave them with high spirits, who knew how many infected and possibly grimm they would encounter on the rig while they waited for rescue, would the supplies even last until they were rescued?

Dew looked at Nebula, "So what's the plan? Sounds like the storm is over, should we check the radio transmitter and see if we can get a signal out?"

Nebula checked her scroll, a signal, "I've got a bar" she said swiftly standing up and dialing the number to their school, "Come on, please" she pleaded as it began ringing.

The headmaster answered, "Neb..a" interference, "How is...assign...Have you….any...hello?"

"Headmaster" Nebula said, "Headmaster can you hear me?"

"..bula?" the headmaster replies, "I'm...interference...is eve...hing...your team status?"

Nebula panicking raised her voice, "Professor, we need extraction, half our group is dead, you need to get us out of here, please."

Static, "Please repea….ast...Nebula…"

"We need help!" Nebula screamed tears threatening to overwhelm her.

More static and the call drops causing Nebula to hang her head gripping the scroll so tightly its screen cracks.

Dew grabbed her spear from the floor, "We'll make it out of here. We just have to keep moving, we get to the radio room and see if we can find a way to boost our signal or even use the radios here. We can do this."

Nebula turned hurling her scroll towards the lockers that barricaded the windows, the device soaring over them and breaking through the glass. Sinking to her knees Nebula covered her face and began crying, it was too much, their situation, their losses, it was all too much she just wanted it to be over. Dew kneeled next to her wrapping her arms around her leader, but before she could try and comfort her the windows shattered again and the lockers were knocked over forcing the two girls back to their feet.

A beowolf was wandering the outside when Nebula threw her scroll, her yelling and crying attracting its attention. Knocking over the lockers it roared and in response the echoing calls of the infected from every direction. The beowolf lunged tackling Brawnz knocking him down and sinking its jaws into his shoulder thankfully his aura protected him, but before the girls could save him the beowolf jumped out of the room through the window dragging him kicking and screaming with it his yells attracting the infected that began pouring into the room.

Nebula, Dew and May grabbed their weapons jumping out from the broken window and began fighting their way through the crowd to reach Brawnz they could still see him, he managed to fight off the beowolf, but he was being swarmed by the infected. He turned and swung as much as he could, but with so many around him his movements were becoming more and more restricted until he was unable to move. Infected fell over each other trying to reach him and the ones behind him seized hold and began pulling him toward them eventually he fell over on and was being dragged deeper into their numbers, and with so many attacking him at once his aura was unable to hold up. He screamed for the girls to help him before the infected tore his shirt and ripped apart his skin tearing open his stomach and digging in, the last thing the girls seeing were Brawnz's eyes rolling back and the spraying blood before the monsters covered him completely.

May cried his name only for Dew to grab both her and Nebula dragging them back yelling for them to flee. Fighting their way through the few infected between them and the door the three girls ran not stopping until they reached the next level and Dew using her spear and one of their dust crystals collapsed the staircase to prevent their pursuers from following them. No longer running, but unable to stop they continued to climb going higher in their search for the radio room so they could call for help fighting infected along the way.

When they finally found the radio room Nebula once again tried to call for help, but no matter what channel she tried they received no response. Swearing loudly she slammed her fists against the table asking what any of them did to deserve this, to deserve being in this situation. Again Dew grabs her shoulder attempting to calm her, pointing out of the window to the antenna, it was still standing, but some of the wires had come loose and there was a body hanging from it likely someone who tried to fix it before dying.

Dew squeezed Nebula's shoulder, "See? All we have to do is take that down and it should clear up the signal then we can call for extraction."

Taking a breath Nebula hung her head and nodded trying her best to stay calm, "How do we get to it?" she asked, "It looks like we'd have to climb up to it."

"I can do it" May said said wiping her tears with the end of her beanie, "I can climb faster than most, it would give me a view of the area as well."

Dew turned to her, "We'll come with you" May shook her head.

"No" she said slinging her rifle over her shoulder, securing its strap, "You stay here and keep an eye on each other. I'll move faster on my own, it's not that far so you can spot me from here."

Dew argued, "We can't split up now."

May countered, "Once I make it up there I'll be safe, you two will still be here. You not only need to make the call, but watch each other's backs in case those things make it in here. I'll be able to cover you from there and adjust the antenna as needed."

May noted their expressions, "It's the only way" she told them, "If we don't do it then we're stuck here until they send someone to look for us."

Dew looked out the window into the endless sea that surrounded them, "Depending on where the storm went and how bad it is it should only be another couple of hours before the airship comes back."

May agreed, "Yes, but since the only transmission they've gotten from us was unclear they don't know what our situation is. They might not be coming with backup, we need to get that message out and order an immediate extraction. I won't be long, just stay close to each other."

Checking the pistol Nebula gave her May counted how many rounds she had before leaving the room closing the door behind her. She was quick to move, the few infected she wasn't able to avoid were quickly dealt with, some were dispatched with a heavy blow to the head others were flung over the railing into the ocean below. By the time she made it to the antenna's platform she set the safety on the gun and slid it into her jacket before she began climbing, Dew and Nebula watching from the window impressed by how quickly May climbed the beams that supported the platform for the antenna. She jumped from one to the next using her weapon as a climbing axe for extra reach or to swing from one beam to the next, once in place she turned and waved, signaling the two that she was ready.

Turning to the antenna she climbed it reaching the body that hooked itself around the beams before he died at least that's what she thought. When she unfastened the straps that held it in place and prepared to push it away it groaned and turned its head to her. May only had enough time to bring her aura up as it snarled and lunged at her grabbing hold its weight pulling both of them down to the base of the platform. Nebula and Dew watched as May fell, it was only a twelve foot drop, but the infected was on top of her.

Thankfully May's aura held up against the landing further protecting her from her attacker's feral swings until she pushed him off. Getting to her feet May reached for her dropped weapon only for the infected to grab her foot preventing her from reaching it. With uninhibited strength the infected pulled her foot close to its mouth ready to bite her until May pulled her foot free kicking it in the head and then bringing her boot down slamming its head into the steel floor. Wanting to make sure it was dead and to release her own frustrations May stomped on its head again and again continuing until the skull gave way and was crushed under her heel.

With the infected dead May began climbing again to reconnect the wires, Dew checked May's aura level on her scroll thankful to see that it was still holding up after the fall. It had been twenty-three hours since they left Shade, almost an entire day and five of their eight members were dead. Even though they weren't able to find any survivors their investigation did reveal what happened, sabotage. Someone had loaded containers filled with grimm and infected onto the ship, but as for the oil rig they still didn't know. The radio buzzed to life when the wires were reconnected and Nebula opened the channel to Shade frantically begging for anyone to answer.

"Ms. Violette?" their headmaster answered, "I've been trying to reach you, what's your mission status?"

"Headmaster" Nebula gasped unable to hold her tears back, "I...we…" she began sobbing as she explained what happened, that half of their group was killed.

"I see" the headmaster answered, "Where on the ship are you? Are you somewhere where you can hold out?"

Dew answered, "We're on the oil rig sir. The ship was too overrun, there's nowhere we can really set up a defensible position, we need extraction ASAP."

"Understood" their headmaster replied, "I sent out the bullhead when I got your first call, I'll contact the pilot and tell him to hurry. Just hold out until he gets there. I'm sorry I put you in this, but I'll get you home."

Contacting May through her scroll Dew relayed the message, their evac was coming. Heaving a relieved sigh May leaded her forehead against the frame of the antenna, closing her eyes she whispered a thank you to no one in particular. Opening her eyes again she looked around, she could see the landing platform from where she was, a space for an airship to land, telling Dew and Nebula she said it would best to head there now since the sound of the bullhead's engines would draw attention when it arrived. Agreeing the two girls grabbed their weapons and left the radio room to head there with May climbing down from the antenna, but staying on the beams and rafters to keep her vantage point.

Dew and Nebula didn't encounter any threats on their way to the landing pad and while thankful they remained cautious and alert, slowly going around each corner in case they ran into more infected or grimm. It wasn't until the air split with the sound of May's rifle being fired that they located the infected, their screams answering the sound of the gunshot as it woke them from their stupor. May was preparing to climb another beam when she was ambushed, unable to fight off the thing pinning her and unable to reach for the sidearm in her jacket she was forced to use her rifle. Shifting the barrel under it she pulled the trigger the high powered round tearing through the soft tissue immediately causing enough physical trauma to kill the infected, then came the screams.

Returning to her feet May began climbing, she wasn't suited or equipped for close quarters combat so she had to get higher. She spotted Nebula and Dew as she climbed, they were being surrounded and cut off from the landing pad. Raising her rifle she fired, her shot penetrating through one infected and into the one behind it killing both in a single shot, she yelled for Dew and Nebula to keep moving before turning her attention to the ground below her, the infected were beginning to climb up after her.

Aiming her rifle again she fired killing one that had grabbed Nebula, "Eight" she said before retrieving the sidearm in her jacket and aiming at the ones climbing after her shooting one in the head, "Six."

Looking through her scope again she fired another shot, "Seven" her shot hit a barrel causing it to explode killing a number of pursuing infected and those that survived quickly burned to death when they tried to run through.

Checking below her May fired her pistol again, "Five, left" she said to herself keeping track of her remaining shots.

Dew and Nebula were close to the landing pad, but they were cut off by an alpha beowolf. Dew charged in first thrusting her spear at the grimm, but it jumped to the side avoiding her attack and swiping at her knocked her back before turning its attention to Nebula. May set her crosshairs on the monster's head and pulled the trigger only for one of the infected to grab her foot as she did causing her shot to sail wide hitting Nebula in the leg stunning her long enough for the monster to pounce and pinned her to the floor. Dew charged the grimm once more driving her spear through its back before it could bite Nebula, killing it.

Hearing another gunshot their attention was drawn to May's position as she struggled to free herself from the infected that held her, managing to shoot it and kick it away only for another to grab her followed by a third. Their collective weight pulling her down May hooked her arm around the beam and aimed down only for her arm to be grabbed as well. Dew and Nebula watched as May unable to hold on fell, the climbing infected jumping after her.

Rushing to her side Dew and Nebula frantically cut their way through the large swarm, only to reach May too late. Between having her leg bitten and clawed at, the ten meter fall and being swarmed her aura wasn't able to hold up. By the time they killed the last one and reached her she already had multiple deep bites and pieces of flesh missing, blood soaking her clothes.

"No" Nebula gasped falling to her knees next to May, "No, no!" she cried scooping May into her arms, "I'm sorry. May I'm sorry."

May groaned, "It's not your fault" her voice was weak, "I put myself in that position" she began coughing as she struggled to breathe, "Just make it home."

Hearing the roar of an engine Dew grabbed Nebula's shoulder, "Neb, we need to go."

"We can't leave her here" Nebula cried.

"You have to" May coughed, "If I don't die I'll just end up turning into one of them. Just leave me here" she cupped her blood soaked hand against Nebula's cheek, "Go" she painfully exhaled letting her hand drop from Nebula's cheek.

Pulling Nebula to her feet Dew ran with her to the landing pad as the bullhead landed, looking back just in time to see May crawl to retrieve her pistol and press the barrel against her head, choosing death instead of the chance of becoming one of those monsters. The airship took off, the oil rig and the cargo ship quickly shrinking in the distance, but the nightmare of the previous day would never disappear. Setting Nebula in a chair Dew told her leader to rest while she went to the cockpit sitting in the co-pilot's seat and burying her face in her hands.

"I'm sorry" the pilot said, "I never should have left you all out here. I should have stayed."

"It wouldn't have mattered" Dew told him, "We didn't start encountering them until we were deep inside the ship. Even if the storm didn't take down the bullhead we'd still end up like this."

The pilot asked, "What the hell happened? How did the ship get overrun?"

"Sabotage" Dew told him, "Someone trapped the infected and grimm into some containers that were loaded on the ship, then they got loose. We weren't able to find out what happened to the crew of the oil rig."

The pilot shook his head in defeat, "Go ahead and get some rest, I'll get you and your friend back home."

In the compartment behind the cockpit Nebula had closed her eyes, but the voices of her teammate and the pilot stirred her. Slowly she got up, her breathing ragged as her body twitched with each step toward the cockpit. Her eyes were drawn to the pilot as he shook his head, telling Dew to get some rest. She turned to the pilot and leaned forward her arms outstretched before she lunged forward and bit him.

The pilot's scream started Dew. Turning in her seat she saw Nebula leaning over the pilot as he screamed his flailing causing the bullhead to turn and begin climbing throwing Nebula into the back compartment. The pilot struggled to get the bullhead under control using one hand to keep pressure on the open wound in his neck. Dew moved to the rear compartment watching as Nebula stood up and looked at her with empty glazed over eyes and a blood and flesh stained mouth as her skin began turning a ghastly white.

Dew shook her head, "No, not you to" she took a step back as Nebula moved toward her, "Nebula please" she begged, "Don't come any closer."

Unable to comprehend her words and driven by the primal instinct to feed Nebula shuffled closer as Dew reached for her spear grabbing it with a trembling hand.

"Don't make me do this" she begged again tears flooding from her eyes.

Left with no choice Dew ran her spear through her leader's chest pushing her back as it pierced her heart, sobbing an apology as Nebula took her final breath before falling still.

Dropping to her knees Dew continued to cry until the pilot walked back to her, "You need to get up there" he groaned, "It's on autopilot, it will fly itself back to Shade, someone there can talk you through landing safely" he began coughing up blood, "There's a red switch above the doorway. It's an emergency lock, it will keep the door from opening. Lock it behind you so I can't get in."

The pilot lowered himself into one of the seats strapping himself in so he wouldn't be able to move once he turned and watching the young woman close the door behind her. Checking the bullhead's instruments she confirmed the autopilot system was active and her current heading, she would be back at Shade in just under two hours. Collapsing into the co-pilot's seat her mind replayed everything since they left the academy, Roy, Gwen, Nolan, Octavia, Brawnz, May and then Nebula, leaving only her. She closed her eyes, crying herself to sleep knowing that even though the assignment was over the nightmare would never end.


End file.
